The Monkey 1912

Franz Marc made “The Monkey” with oil paint, probably sometime in the early 1900s. It’s a kaleidoscope of greens, reds, and blues, all jostling for space to depict a monkey in a jungle or a dream of a jungle. I imagine him there, the artist, blocking in shapes, reacting to what emerges, maybe even a little surprised by what he sees. I wonder if Marc felt sympathy for the animal, stuck in a zoo? The monkey is rendered in cool blues, perched on a branch, looking down, thoughtful and maybe even a little sad. The paint isn’t too thick, but the colours are layered, like he was searching for the right balance. Look at how the tail curls, a stroke of white, giving the composition energy. It’s an odd choice, making the monkey blue, but then again, look at the colours that make up the surrounding foliage – they vibrate off one another. You know, painters, we are all in conversation with each other, across time. Marc probably looked at Van Gogh, who probably looked at Japanese prints… It is about each artist trying to find a way to express themselves. It is an expression of feeling, of an inner world. Marc did that.