Bathing Girls 1910

Franz Marc’s ‘Bathing Girls’ is an explosion of colour and form that, in its making, embraces process, somewhere between Fauvism and Expressionism. The canvas is alive with these nude figures set against a landscape rendered in bright, almost clashing colours. Look at the way Marc uses colour to create depth and volume, it’s as if the forms are built from patches of pure pigment, each stroke a deliberate act of construction. The physicality of the paint is evident, with visible brushstrokes that capture the energy of the moment. The way he moves between colours is like a dance, echoing Henri Matisse and his joy in painting figures. Notice the trees on the left and the way Marc paints them, almost using the trunk as a way to frame the work. This shows his love of simple shapes and colours. There’s a sense of freedom and experimentation here, like Marc is inviting us to see the world through his eyes, a world where colour and form are not bound by realism but are free to express emotion and feeling.