The exhibition “Caspar David Friedrich: The Soul of Nature” will run at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through May 11.

After a long day of hiking, you’ve finally reached the top of the mountain. Tired, thirsty, but exhilarated by your accomplishment, you set your walking stick at your side and look around. But instead of the glorious alpine view that you were expecting, all you see are a few rocky crags jutting out above the fog like inexperienced swimmers who are just barely managing to keep their heads above the water. Further off in the distance, another windswept peak looms, even higher and more imposing than the one you’ve just scaled. You rest for another minute before deciding that you must conquer it too, not understanding why but knowing that something deep within your being is calling you toward it — a persistent inner voice that began as a whisper but has since grown into a roar. You pick your walking stick back up, breathe in the fresh, reinvigorating heaven-kissed air, and brace yourself for the next leg of your journey.