"The painter should paint not only what he has in front of him, but also what he sees inside himself"

This quote by Caspar David Friedrich motivates painters to look beyond the physical world and to check out the depths of their own imagination. He recommends that a painter should not limit themselves to painting just what they can see in front of them, however to also paint what they can see inside themselves. This could mean painting the feelings, thoughts, and feelings that they experience, or painting the visions and ideas that concern them. Friedrich is suggesting that a painter ought to utilize their imagination to produce something unique and individual, instead of merely replicating what they can see in the physical world. By doing this, a painter can create something that is really significant and reflective of their own inner world.