Composition with Animals II

Franz Marc's extraordinary ability to trace nature's harmonies, or "the organic rhythm . . . in everything," is illustrated by this remarkable work on paper. The colors appear unnatural and the shapes abstracted, yet the essential landscape prevails: two animals stand with ears cocked in an intimate glade. The three columns to the right of the animals represent the trunks of tall trees. Arcs of green represent the lush glade. Marc has created a synchronization of colors and forms, not only between the dominant tones of blue, green, and red, but also through the merging of animal bodies with plant components and the light effects of the image.