The Raft of the Medusa
The work may have been inspired by Théodore Géricault's "The Raft of the Medusa" (1818–19). Friedrich's work shares with Géricault's a similar compositional framework and bleak metaphorical outlook in relation to the unforgiving sea. The tragedy represented in "The Medusa" is a human responsibility irrespective of the surroundings, while the "The Sea of Ice" presents a more pessimistic message, with the tragedy a result of mankind's hubris in its attempts to master nature.