Art Analysis Blog
Fate of the Animals By Franz Marc, 1913
Franz Marc is a German Expressionist artist, and he created Fate of the Animals in 1913, right before the start of World War 1. Franz Marc was known to paint animals; he was drawn to them and saw their beauty. When he painted this, Marc was living in very troublesome times. This piece, I believe, is a result of his emotions at the time and feelings on the impending war to come. In my opinion, Fate of the Animals shows the psychological effects of the environment, social surroundings, and war on a person—especially when comparing this piece to his other work. This painting is later viewed as a premonition of what was to come in World War 1.
Franz Marc used sharp lines to portray the chaos and violent events happening in this painting. The layout of the lines is jagged, distorted, shattered, and boldly dividing the painting throughout to reflect the sense of turmoil and horror that the animals feel. It also shows the world being ripped apart. They are trapped in this dreadful event. The colors used in this painting are intense and bold. They create the sense of emotions in each of the animals, that comes across to the viewer too. The geometric shapes also give off an unnatural sense; there is no ease in the painting.
This painting stands out to me because it is amazing what art can create and teach. Fate of the Animals is a masterpiece, in my opinion, because it shows the significant impact that art has on so many aspects of life. The piece shows the psychological impact of war. It points out humanity's ability to observe history through art. The ability to abstractly feel the emotions of others and to feel grief and empathy for the people, the animals, during World War 1. Franz Marc may not have been a fan of humanity. However, I believe this painting shows humans' immense complexity and beauty; to feel those emotions and see a story through art. I genuinely love this piece for that reason. Although, I would not want to hang it in my living room.
References
Hey Shaylise,
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis of this work. I looked back at the art after finishing the first paragraph, and then totally agreed with the rest as I continued - this work truly does show the chaos of war. For the colors, they are definitely intense and there's a lot going on in this work, but I also see that the colors aren't really that bright in some places. I think some of the darkness also helps to represent the horrors of war. It seems interesting that darker colors seem to represent darker times in many art works.
Hi Shaylise,
ReplyDeleteFirst let me start off by saying how amazing that artwork is. After reading what you said, I totally agree with how this shows the intense emotions being felt and the horrors of the war. I could only imagine what he was feeling during that difficult time, but this painting is a fantastic representation. The line work and the colors are just amazing. Great job picking this work, and pulling it apart so well!