The Fate of the Animals by Franz Marc (Interpretation and Analysis)

The Fate of the Animals
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Yesterday, I discussed the art of German Expressionist artist Franz Marc. The painting I discussed—the Yellow Cow—is a joyful scene, typical of his style. However, while I was researching his work, I came across a darker piece: The Fate of the Animals. 

Marc had a deep affinity for animals, and much of his work depicts them in idyllic settings. In the Fate of the Animals however, this dynamic is turned on its head. Here, Marc’s beloved animals face brutal destruction. Trees topple as panicked animals try to escape a blazing fire; the scene may reference a forest fire, although Marc was always more interested in depicting psychological reality as opposed to the physical world.

Whatever his intent, the resulting scene is the sort of image that will be seared in your mind forever. It is jarring, terrifying and heartbreaking all at the same time. In comparison to Marc’s other work, The Fate of the Animals can only be called apocalyptic. Here, the idyllic paradise of the animals is destroyed and chaos and violence—part of the human world—intrudes upon paradise. So, where did this terrible vision come from?

It is, of course, impossible to know what any given artist intended to convey more than a century later. However, it is important to note that by 1913, when The Fate of the Animals was created, Marc was well aware that war was on the horizon. In fact, many later historians have described The Fate of the Animals as an artistic premonition of World War I, which would eventually claim Marc’s life. It seems that the looming conflict gave Marc a sense of artistic focus; his later works have a harder edge that conveys a sense of deliberateness that is absent from his earlier work. Here, the viewer can see Marc’s anticipation of the horror of war and the great pain and suffering it will bring.

Marc was killed on the battlefield in 1916. Ironically, The Fate of the Animals—which depicts a fire—was damaged in a fire later that same year. Marc’s friend Paul Klee, who was himself a famous painter, restored the painting, adding a strange, brownish tint to the right side (the damaged portion) of the piece. It’s unclear what Klee meant to convey with this addition, and it is still debated by art historians.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.