Two Horses 1912

Franz Marc made this small work called Two Horses with gouache, probably around 1911. See how the colours aren't just descriptive? Instead, they're like feelings made visible. I love the bright blue of one of the horses, it is such a bold choice. You can really see Marc experimenting here. The texture is key to this artwork; the opacity of the paint gives it a real sense of depth, especially with the layering of colours. Take the black horse, how it fades into the red and orange in the bottom left corner - you can see the individual strokes, the way he built up the image, decision by decision. It is like a window into his mind. It reminds me of other Expressionists like Kandinsky, those guys were all about breaking free from reality and diving headfirst into emotion. In a way, all art is about this conversation, each artist answering and questioning those who came before. Nothing is ever really finished or resolved, and that's the beauty of it.