Small Horse Picture 1909

Franz Marc made this ‘Small Horse Picture’ with oil on cardboard. Looking at the juicy brushstrokes, I can almost feel the texture, the physicality of the painting. It’s a total vibe—bold, bright, and full of energy. I can imagine Franz, layering stroke upon stroke, letting the painting emerge organically. The way the horses are rendered, not so much about anatomical correctness, but more about capturing their essence, their spirit. What was he thinking when he made it? What if these horses are stand-ins for feelings? This piece reminds me of other painters, like Kandinsky and the Blaue Reiter group, with their shared interest in spirituality and abstraction. You get the sense of artists riffing off each other’s ideas, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. It’s like a visual conversation, where artists borrow, steal, and transform ideas across time, inspiring each other’s creativity.