Donkey Frieze by Franz Marc

One of the most vibrant and stimulating movements in the history of world art is German Expressionism, and this Donkey Frieze showing a painting by Franz Marc is a fine example of why that movement still inspires artists and art-lovers to this very day

Franz Marc was one of the central figures of German Expressionism, and was known primarily for his paintings that depicted familiar animals in the extravagant and eyebrow-raising style associated with the movement.

The aim of expressionism is to use visual techniques to evoke strong emotion. Franz Marc took this approach in an even more unusual direction by portraying animals, still succeeding in lending a distinct emotional charge to his subjects. In the case of this Donkey Frieze, the painting evokes a sense of weariness from a life of hard work.

The blue-tinged donkeys are depicted with the colour of sadness, something that stands out all the more when set against a verdant green background. The fact that all four donkeys are shown in profile emphasises the similarity of their faces - faces which, to a human observer, seem to have weary expressions, as though the donkeys have long since grown tired of their daily trudge and toil.

In short, the Donkey Frieze shows Franz Marc's ability to capture stark human emotion even when depicting an entirely non-human subject.

The Donkey Frieze will be right at home on the wall of any art lover who can appreciate the power of expressionist art to both portray and provoke a full range of emotions. Nobody who truly appreciates this influential artistic movement could resist having a piece of Franz Marc in their home.