Shop art print and framed art Monkey by Franz Marc

The Yellow Cow (German: Die gelbe Kuh) is a painting by Franz Marc produced in 1911. The painting shows a yellow cow jumping. It is surrounded by a colourful, structured landscape. The painting contrasts the dynamic subject with the static background. The Yellow Cow was painted during an important period in Marc's career. It was during this period that he developed the colour symbolism that permeates this painting. The aim was no longer to reproduce naturalistic colours, but to place in the foreground the feelings attributed to the motif. In this way, the artist expresses his vision of the world. For Marc, animals embodied an ideal that he opposed to the human desire to control nature. Later interpretations refer to autobiographical influences and Marc's relationship with his wife Maria Franck. The picture is divided into three planes: the foreground, which contains the central motif of the yellow cow, the middle plane and the solidly structured background. The paint is fine, but flat. There is a contrast between the movement of the foreground and the calm of the background. This movement is evident in the animal's posture. While the front legs already seem to be lifting the weight of the body, the hind legs are still in a fluid jumping posture. The most significant factor in the interpretation of The Yellow Cow is the symbolism of the colours. According to most art historians, this is the key to the [...]

 

This artwork is a painting from the modern period. It belongs to the expressionism style.

 

« Monkey » is kept at Stadtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany.

 

Find the full description of Monkey by Franz Marc on Wikipedia.