The Bull

The Bull is a powerful woodcut created by Franz Marc German, 1880-1916, in 1912. Executed on ivory wove Japanese paper, this work exemplifies the artist's dedication to simplifying natural forms and exploring the emotional and spiritual resonance of animals. As a central figure in German Expressionism and a founder of Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), Marc sought to develop a visual language that conveyed the inner, spiritual reality of his subjects rather than mere optical appearance. The choice of the woodcut medium itself—a physically demanding process of carving into a block—lends a visceral, raw quality to the image, aligning perfectly with the Expressionist preference for direct, forceful techniques and the incorporation of primal energy.

In this print, the form of the bull is distilled to essential, rhythmic curves and bold black masses, conveying immense potential energy and muscular weight. Unlike his colorful canvases, Marc relies entirely on stark contrast and dynamic line work here, highlighting the pure, unmediated power of the animal. This profound focus on untamed nature was a central theme in Marc's philosophy regarding the renewal of art in early 20th-century Germany, viewing animals as inherently innocent and spiritual beings untainted by modernity. The work belongs to the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as an important example of the transformative prints created by the artist before his premature death during World War I in 1916. Prints from this period are highly valued for their expressive power; increasingly, high-resolution images of historical artworks like this are entering the public domain, making them widely accessible for scholarly study.