"Cats, Red and White," Franz Marc, 1912.

Marc (1880-1916) was a painter and graphic artist who was a major figure in German Expressionism.

Deeply engaged with Munich's avant-garde scene, he started a journal, Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) which sought to diverse artistic styles under a single, almost spiritual pursuit. His circle included Kandinsky and other major figures.

Many of his works are of animals in a natural environment, usually with bright colors, like we have here. I don't think there's ever been a cat in that particular shade, but that vibrant green background really makes it pop.

Marc was drafted into the German military during WWI, and died at the Siege of Verdun, only 36. Under the Nazi regime, his work was declared "degenerate" and officially banned; thankfully his body of work survived and is the centerpiece of many museum and gallery collections today, and fetching high prices at auction.

From a private collection.

#Art #Expressionism #FranzMarc #BannedByTheThirdReich

"Tyrol," Franz Marc, 1914.

Marc (1880-1916) was a German Expressionist painter. Although a prominent figure in German Expressionism, his career was tragically short.

He was a founder of The Blue Rider, an arts journal that became the voice of a circle of artists of the time, including Kandinsky. The were Blue Rider exhibitions, where he showed his work and collected good reviews. However, at the outbreak of WWI, he was drafted by the German army and died during the Battle of Verdun.

The Third Reich declared his art "degenerate" and had it pulled from museums and sold to raise money. At least one painting was looted from the home of a Jewish man who was sent to the camps; it was restored to his family only a few years ago. Now Marc's work gets record prices at auctions.

From the Piankothek der Moderne, Munich. (I'm not focusing on that museum solely this week, I swear! I've chosen these randomly but they're all from the same museum...)

#Art #FranzMarc #Expressionism #DegenerateArt #LootedByTheThirdReich #BannedByTheThirdReich