Fantastic Creature (Fabeltier) (plate preceding page 1) from Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider)

Fantastic Creature (Fabeltier) (plate preceding page 1) from Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) is a seminal work by Franz Marc, executed in 1912. This piece is classified as an illustrated book plate, specifically a woodcut augmented by unique hand-applied tempera additions, differentiating this impression from standard edition prints. Its origin lies within the pages of the influential almanac Der Blaue Reiter, co-edited by Marc and Wassily Kandinsky.

The almanac was intended not just as a statement on the emerging Expressionist movement, but as a comprehensive anthology illustrating the spiritual unity underlying all forms of creative expression, from non-Western artifacts to folk art and children’s drawings. This publication was crucial to the development of German Expressionism and the broader thrust toward abstraction in the years immediately preceding World War I.

Marc's adoption of the woodcut medium demonstrates the Expressionist affinity for directness and raw, angular energy, contrasting sharply with traditional academic techniques. The use of tempera over the printed block highlights the synthesis of traditional craft and modernist impulse, lending color and vibrancy to the creature's abstract, almost crystalline form. The subject matter-the Fabeltier or fantastic creature-reflects Marc’s desire to depict the inherent goodness and spirituality he perceived in the natural world, moving beyond mere realistic representation toward symbolic essentialism.

Published during a pivotal year in the advancement toward non-objective art, this 1912 plate exemplifies the Blaue Reiter group’s goal of synthesizing various artistic disciplines. Marc’s approach to color and form in this work represents a key stage in the German avant-garde movement. This historic piece of modernist illustration and design is housed within the distinguished collection of the Museum of Modern Art.