The Bewitched Mill

"The Bewitched Mill," painted by Franz Marc German, 1880–1916 in 1913, is a seminal example of German Expressionism rendered in oil on canvas. Created shortly before the outbreak of World War I, this period marked the climax of Marc’s abstract and spiritually-focused approach, rooted in the principles of the Der Blaue Reiter group. The work represents a profound departure from traditional representation, utilizing color and highly fragmented forms to convey inner emotional states and the perceived dynamism of nature rather than objective reality.

In this painting, Marc dismantles the conventional landscape structure, replacing it with intersecting planes of bold, complementary color that suggest energetic movement and intense, almost hallucinatory energy. Marc's characteristic geometric fracturing and symbolic color palette (often blue for the spiritual, yellow for the feminine, and red for the material) transform the mill structure into a vortex of natural forces. The surface is heavily worked, characteristic of the German avant-garde’s desire to infuse the canvas with raw, immediate emotion. Today, the enduring influence of this style ensures that high-quality prints of this and similar Expressionist masterworks are often available through public domain collections.

Dating to 1913, this significant oil on canvas is recognized globally for its contribution to early 20th-century art. The painting is proudly held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a cornerstone example of the modern movement from Germany. This piece powerfully reflects Marc's belief that abstract art could reveal a purer, hidden reality beneath the surface appearance of the world.