Two Mythical Animals (Zwei Fabeltiere)

Two Mythical Animals (Zwei Fabeltiere) by Franz Marc, created in 1914, is a powerful example of German printmaking from the early modern era. Executed as a woodcut in black on delicate japan paper, the piece showcases Marc's engagement with abstraction and his symbolic use of animal subjects. This period, spanning 1901 to 1925, was crucial for the radical development of Expressionism, and Marc was a central figure within the Munich-based Der Blaue Reiter group, which sought a spiritual renewal of art through simplified, emotional forms. The stark contrast inherent in the woodcut technique perfectly conveys the emotional intensity and visual immediacy characteristic of the era.

Although Marc is perhaps best known for the vivid, prismatic colors of his pre-war oil paintings, this graphic work demonstrates his rigorous control over line and dynamic compositional structure. Marc uses the woodcut medium to create highly stylized, simplified outlines for the two colossal creatures that dominate the frame. Their forms are densely packed, conveying a sense of dynamic energy, movement, and primal interaction. The subject of mythical animals, or Fabeltiere, reflects Marc’s lifelong philosophical search for a pure, unsullied connection to nature, viewing animals as inherently spiritual beings opposed to the mechanized corruption of human industry.

As a key graphic work of German Expressionism, this print belongs to a series of explorations Marc undertook just prior to his service in World War I. The artist sought to revolutionize traditional representation, and prints like this were essential for disseminating these new ideals to a broader audience. The powerful woodcut, Two Mythical Animals (Zwei Fabeltiere), is preserved in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a vital document of early twentieth-century modernism. Due to its age and historical importance, high-resolution images of these prints are often accessible today through public domain art initiatives, furthering the study of Marc’s revolutionary printmaking techniques.