Monkey Frieze 1911

Franz Marc painted “Monkey Frieze” using oil on canvas, though the date of its execution remains unknown. This arresting image shows a group of monkeys moving together through a vivid landscape, abstracted through the visual language of German Expressionism. Marc was working in Germany in the early twentieth century, a period marked by rapid industrialization and social change. Artists like Marc felt alienated by the modern world, and looked to the natural world for spiritual renewal. The visual codes here are far from academic, traditional art. Marc was associated with the "Der Blaue Reiter" group, which sought to express inner spiritual truths through art. The group was interested in non-western art and folk art, seeing in these forms a more authentic mode of expression. By depicting animals, Marc sought to access a more primal, instinctual way of being, untainted by the corrupting influence of human society. As historians, we can look to letters, manifestos, and exhibition catalogs to better understand the artist’s intentions. Art offers us a window into the cultural and intellectual debates of the time, but only when we recognize its roots in specific historical circumstances.