The paintings of expressionists have always fascinated and surprised art lovers. This trend appeared at the end of the 19th century, but reached its peak at the beginning of the 20th. The most prominent representatives of this trend were born in Austria and Germany. Franz Marc was no exception. He, along with other creators, tried to express his view on those ugliness of civilization that caused the events of the 20th century, in particular the First World War.
Birth
Franz Marc was born in 1880. His father was also an artist, which directly influenced his future fate. Despite the fact that in his youth he dreamed of becoming a priest, at the age of 20 he decided to pay attention to art.
Training
The painter lived a short life. In 1900, the Academy of Arts became his home, where he studied and became acquainted with impressionism and post-impressionism. Then this place was a certain abode of world creativity. The Munich Academy of Arts gathered under its roof future famous artists. Near Franz studied Hackle and Dietz. Although they became famous, they still couldn’t catch Mark.
The young artist tried not to sit still, but to study art not only in his country. This explains his trip to Paris, where he just got acquainted with the French trends in art. Here he could see the creations of the great Van Gogh and Gauguin.
The second trip of the painter to Paris influenced the theme of his future creations. Returning to Munich, he began to study in depth the anatomy of animals in order to portray his view of nature in his paintings.
The Blue Horseman
The "New Munich Art Association" caught the attention of Franz after meeting with August Macke. Then, in 1910, he decided to be part of this organization. For a long time he could not meet with the head of the community, Vasily Kandinsky. A year later, they finally met. After 10 months, the artists Kandinsky, Mack and Franz decided to create their own organization “The Blue Horseman”.
Immediately they were able to organize an exhibition, where Franz presented his work. Then in the gallery Tangauzer were collected the best German paintings of expressionists. A trio of Munich painters worked to promote their society.
Cubism and the last years of life
The last stage in the life of Franz Marc can be considered his acquaintance with the work of Robert Delaunay. His Italian cubism and futurism contributed significantly to the future work of the German painter. At the end of his life, Mark changed direction in his work. His canvases depicted increasingly abstract details, torn and blocky elements.
The outbreak of World War I inspired many creators of art and literature to do their work. But over time, the creators became disillusioned with the events and realities of the war. Franz Marc voluntarily went to the front. There, he, like many other creative people, was disappointed in the events. Bloodshed, terrible pictures and a sad outcome wounded him. But the artist was not destined to return and realize all his creative ideas. At 36, the painter died from a fragment of a shell near Verdun.
Canvases and style
Life affects the artist, his work and style. With Franz, there were also changes that poured into his canvases with new paints. The German was by nature a dreamer. He suffered for humanity and was sad for lost values in the modern world. In the paintings, he tried to display something fantastic, peaceful, beautiful, but with the naked eye it was clear that each canvas was filled with longing.
Writers and artists of the early 20th century tried to find and recreate the golden age, but the war turned everything into a pile of debris, and creative people tried to heal wounds. In his works, Franz Marc tried to reflect primarily the philosophical beginning. Moreover, everything that was depicted in the paintings mattered. Each color was given its own symbols, each item was endowed with something special. Colors and shapes influenced the human psyche, his mood and intrinsic value.
The Blue Horse
Franz Marc has always been distinguished by a special approach to creating his canvases. "Blue Horse" has become something symbolic in the work of the painter. This picture is the most popular among the rest. In addition, along with others, she stands out in a special style. Just looking at it brings a person into a state of charm and penetration.
The picture shows a horse that is full of strength. It symbolizes a young man. The horse's body has several broken shapes and an interesting overexposure. A white ray is piercing into the chest, while the mane and hooves, on the contrary, are shrouded in blue.
The fact that the horse is blue is of unusual interest. But it is worth noting and no less attractive background. Bottom line: the horse complements the background, and the background complements the horse. According to the plan of the painter, these two objects cannot exist separately, they are interconnected and are one, although they stand out from each other.
After creating this picture, Franz tried to explain to Mac his idea. He argued that blue is the severity of a man, yellow is feminine softness and sensuality, red is matter that is suppressed by the previous two shades.
"Birds"
Another picture worthy of your attention. It was also written by Franz Marc. “Birds” is another special work of the artist. It was written in 1914 and became the first unusual work that characterized the new style of the painter. This is a picture from the very mature painting of Mark, which has become a reflection of the animal world. The artist felt that animals were that ideal, which were much higher and cleaner than people.
“Birds” is the same style that appeared after Robert Delaunay. A similar picture, despite its bright colors, emphasizes some kind of anxiety and a hostile attitude. Most likely, this is due to sharp transitions from one shade to another. The picture becomes "splitting" and apocalyptic.
Looking at the canvas, it seems that there is a certain explosion that excites and disturbs the birds. They fly apart and at the same time remain calm. When the world is overtaken by war, someone starts to fuss, and someone tries to accept the situation. “Birds” became a clear reflection of the military world with its fears and anxieties.