Aus der Tierlegende. From: Genius.

Glimpses of tails, fur, and horns can be spotted among the energetic lines of this woodcut by Franz Marc. They seem to capture the animal spirit rather than any specific fauna.

With Wassily Kandinsky, Marc was a central figure in the German expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), which ran from 1911 to 1914. Through their work, the group sought to express spiritual truths in modern art, especially through the emotional associations of colour.

Animals often featured in Marc’s art work as symbols of innocence – an alternative to the brutality of humankind, particularly in the years leading up to World War I (1914–19). Tragically, Marc was killed in action in 1916.