FRANZ MARC'S YOUTH

Franz Marc was born in Munich (Germany) on February 8, 1880. Although his father was a professor at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, Franz Marc didn't have artistic plans. As a young boy, Marc wanted to become a priest and he even attempted to study philosopy. Eventually neither idea worked out and Franz Marc decided to take painting classes at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1900.

The first years of the 1900's were heavily influenced by the Impressionists and it didn't take long before the young Marc undertook several travels to Paris (the Mekka of artists back then), where he was influenced by the works of these modern French painters. Franz MArc especially enjoyed and admired the art of Vincent van Gogh.


DER BLAUE REITER

Together with his friend Wassily Kandinsky, whom he had met at the Academy, Franz Marc founded Der Blaue Reiter (English: The Blue Rider). Other members included Gabriele Münter and Alexeji Jawlensky, later joined by August Macke and Paul Klee.

Marc showed several of his works in the first Blaue Reiter exhibition, which was held at the Thannhauser Gallery in Munich between December 1911 and January 1912. The exhibition was the apex of the German expressionist movement and also showed in Berlin, Köln, Hagen, and Frankfurt. In 1912, Marc also met Robert Delaunay, whose use of color and Futurism was the next major influence on Marc's own work. Marc began becoming increasingly influenced by Futurism and Cubism, and his art became increasingly stark and abstract in nature.


FRANZ MARC'S ANIMALS AND OTHER MATURE ART

Most of his mature work portrays animals, usually in natural settings. His work is characterized by bright primary color, an almost cubist portrayal of the animals, stark simplicity and a profound sense of emotion. This got him noticed in influential circles even in his own time. Franz Marc particularly liked to paint animals, because they are innocent beings in complete harmony with nature. He wanted to paint as if he was in the body of the animal he painted.


FRANZ MARC'S LAST YEARS

World War I began, and Franz Marc decided to volunteer for the German military service with the idea that the war would be a relief to the so-called rotten and spoiled civilization. However, experiencing the death of his friend Macke made him change his mind on the good or evil of the war. Franz Marc died near Verdun, France, on March 4, 1916, in full battle action.