The artwork “The Fate of the Animals” is an oil on canvas painting by the artist Franz Marc, created in 1913. It is a seminal piece within the Expressionist movement, measuring 194.3 by 261.6 centimeters. The piece is classified as an animal painting with abstraction elements, resonating with the themes central to the art movement it embodies. This artwork is housed at the Kunstmuseum Basel in Basel, Switzerland, and it was created in Germany.
The painting is an amalgamation of vibrant colors and fragmented forms, conveying a scene of chaos and disruption in nature. It deploys a dynamic composition of angular shapes and sharp lines interwoven with representations of animals. The brushwork emphasizes an intense emotion that is characteristic of the Expressionist style, seeking to evoke a deep psychological response from the viewer. We discern forms that suggest the presence of various animals, possibly in a state of distress or conflict, which may reflect the artist’s anticipation of the turmoil of the forthcoming Great War. The use of abstraction heightens the emotional impact of the artwork, leaving much to interpretation while simultaneously expressing a sense of unrest and foreboding.
