Critique of Franz Marc's "Grazing Horses IV (The Red Horses)"
...bodies of the horses as well as cool blues and browns, and a hint of white for the hooves and manes. The horse forms are drawn quite realistically, which enhances the illusion that they are alive and energetic. One horse is grazing as the other two look off in different directions. Each horse seems to represent different emotions. The grazing horse seems complacent and steadfast. The horse on the left seems anxious and hungry, as he has two legs raised as though he is about to turn and run. The last horse in the back, venturing from his stance, seems disinterested or distracted. The red is so spirited that the horses seem to practically pulsate and emit a feeling that they will jump right out of the painting. Just as apparent is the fact that they seem to be as much a part of the surrounding nature as they do of themselves. Even the scarcely illustrated shadows underneath the horses are painted in reds and blues, intensifying the unity between them and the ground they stand on and conveying a feeling of movement. The landscape, in contrast to the red horses, is simplistic and painted in dynamic cool blues and greens, with touches of yellow and orange. These colors depict a semi-accurate representation of bright sunny day in a scenic mountainous terrain though lack specific detailing. This simplistic approach, coupled with the lack of shadows, contributes to a sense of beauty in freedom and continuous movement in nature. Equally notable is the fact that there is no great variance in tone and shading. The darkest aspects of the painting are seen in the large blue rocks on either side of the horses, the shadows stemming from those rocks, and the dark tips on the mountains behind them. These images seem to ground the vibrant horses as well as accentuate them, and somehow add volume to the painting. Without these dark placements the painting would probably appear flat. Interestingly, there are no an...