Franz Marc: Animals

More about the Artist

The work of Franz Marc can be summarized by his own words: “I never, for instance, have the urge to paint animals ‘the way I see them,’ but rather the way they are…”

Born in Munich, Germany (February 8, 1880 – March 4, 1916), from an early age, he was influenced by his father, who worked as a landscape painter. Marc himself, was a print maker and painter; he not only had an influence on art during his lifetime, but was considered to be one of the key figures of the Expressionist movement in Germany, following his time as well.

During his short career, Franz Marc created about 60 pieces in lithography and woodcut. Many of his pieces depicted animals in their natural setting and habitat. He often used bold, bright colors, taking a cubist approach, in the display and creation of the animals he depicted. Simplicity was often the means to his creative process, as most pieces simply focused on the animal, and the raw emotion, as opposed to drawing from external factors. During his life, “the animal” is a motif that Franz Marc always came back to, as artists have always returned to their beloved themes throughout their careers.

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