The Marc of World War I

Trenches on the Western Front - The badly shelled main road to Bapaume through Pozieres, showing a communication trench and broken trees.

The longest battle and one of the most devastating in World War I, the Battle of Verdun resulted in at least half a million wounded and more than a quarter of a million battlefield deaths. One of those lost was Franz Marc.

Horse in Landscape (Pferd in Landschaft), 1910

Franz Marc (February 8, 1880 – March 4, 1916) was one of the principal painters and printmakers of the German Expressionist movement.

Deer in Forest II (Reh im Wald II), 1912

Most of Marc's mature work portrays animals, usually in natural settings. His work is characterized by bright primary color, an almost cubist portrayal of animals, stark simplicity and a profound sense of emotion, which garnered notice in influential circles even in his own time.

Fate of the Animals, 1913

His best known painting is probably Tierschicksale (also known as Animal Destinies or Fate of the Animals) completed in 1913, which hangs in the Kunstmuseum Basel.

The Sheep (Das Schaf), 1913-14

Marc's name was on a list of notable artists to be withdrawn from combat in World War I. Before the orders were carried out, he was struck in the head and killed instantly by a shell splinter during the Battle of Verdun (1916).

Fighting Forms (Kämpfende Formen), 1914

Some of my favorite paintings by Marc can be viewed at this Franz Marc Gallery.