Franz Marc (1880-1916), After - Blue Horses

This expressive watercolour is created after Franz Marc and clearly draws on the visual language of German Expressionism and the Der Blaue Reiter circle. Two monumental blue horses dominate the composition, their bodies simplified into powerful, rounded forms and interlocking contours. Naturalistic detail is deliberately abandoned in favor of emotional intensity and symbolic color.

The deep blues of the horses contrast with a vivid, almost radiant background of yellows, greens, and warm earth tones. The brushwork is energetic and direct, with visible strokes that emphasize movement and inner tension rather than surface realism. The animals appear both protective and introspective, their closeness suggesting harmony, spiritual connection, and a retreat from the human world—central ideas in Marc’s animal imagery.

The composition is tightly structured, with the horses filling most of the pictorial space, creating a sense of weight and calm strength. Color functions symbolically rather than descriptively, following Marc’s own theory in which blue represents spirituality and inner depth.

Overall, the work is best described as an Expressionist watercolour inspired by Franz Marc, closely aligned with the ideals of Der Blaue Reiter: emotional expression, symbolic color, and the elevation of animals as carriers of spiritual meaning rather than mere subjects of observation.

Please note:
- The frame is only a gift
- Signed Lower Right "KH"