“Animal Legend” is an artwork created by Franz Marc in 1912, utilizing the medium of woodcut on paper. As a seminal work that aligns with the Expressionism movement, this artwork exemplifies symbolic painting, a genre that explores deeper meanings and concepts through visual forms.
The artwork is comprised of a series of bold, black lines that carve out the figures of animals and plants against the white background of the paper, creating stark contrasts and a dynamic interplay of forms and space. The composition includes several animals that are intertwined with each other and the surrounding foliage. Central to the scene is a reclining animal, possibly a deer or a mythical creature, which serves as a focal point amidst the array of forms. The figures are rendered in a stylized manner, typical of Marc’s approach to rendering nature and its inhabitants. The depiction of the animals and their environment carries a sense of harmony and an almost mystical quality. Marc’s interest in the spiritual aspects of nature and his use of animal symbolism are evident in this powerful graphic work, which encapsulates the Expressionist endeavor to evoke emotional responses and to transcend the literal representation of the world.