Deer in the Snow 1911

Franz Marc made this painting of deer and snow with oil on canvas. Look how he used the brush to carve out these monumental forms. The snow is not just white; it’s got shades of blue, green, and lavender, all swirling together as if they're dancing. I imagine Marc standing before the canvas, feeling the crisp air, trying to capture not just what he sees, but how it feels to be in that winter landscape, how the deer move through it, almost camouflaged with the bright snow. The warm orange tones of the deer are a direct and intuitive response to the cool blues and greens of the snow. Like he’s trying to harmonize the animal with its habitat. Painters have always looked to each other for ideas. Marc had his own way of understanding color, just as Matisse or Kirchner did. Each adds to our collective experience, proving that painting is a way of knowing. It can be a portal, a way to connect with others, and to see the world in a whole new way.