Fauvism & Expressionism · 1880–1916 · German

Franz Marc

Marc gave colors meanings: in a 1910 letter to August Macke he called blue the masculine, spiritual principle, yellow the feminine and gentle one, and red heavy, brutal matter.

Across 4 works, the colors are mostly blue (25%), brown (20%) and yellow (12%). On average the canvases are light, vivid and balanced between warm and cool. Signature colors, used far more here than across the collection: indigo blue, indigo blue, light blue, blue and muted azure blue.

Color print

The swatches covering most of these canvases, averaged over every work, dark to light.

• MG 104 indigo blue 6.0% of canvas
• MG 103 indigo blue 5.4% of canvas
• MG 106 blue 5.1% of canvas
• MG 220 warm black 4.8% of canvas
• MG 095 muted azure blue 4.5% of canvas
• MG 038 light gold 3.8% of canvas
• MG 098 dark muted azure blue 3.8% of canvas
• MG 224 black 3.8% of canvas
• MG 096 muted azure blue 3.3% of canvas
• MG 102 light blue 2.9% of canvas
• MG 097 muted blue 2.9% of canvas
• MG 094 light muted blue 2.6% of canvas
• MG 212 pale grey 2.5% of canvas
• MG 213 light grey 2.5% of canvas
• MG 019 scarlet red 2.1% of canvas
• MG 099 dark muted blue 2.1% of canvas

Measurements

Lightness

0.56

Contrast

0.55

Vividness

0.068

Warmth

+0.29

Complexity

239 cells

Hue range

0.67

Focus

0.03

Works

• Blue Horse I, 1911
• The Large Blue Horses, 1911
• Yellow Cow, 1911
• The Tower of Blue Horses, 1914