Franz Marc and August Macke: 1909–1914

Featuring approximately 70 paintings and works on paper, this exhibition explores the life and work of two German artists and the power of their friendship. 

In the four years prior to Macke’s death in 1914 (Marc himself died in 1916), they wrote each other scores of letters, visited each other’s homes, traveled together, and often discussed the development of their work. They shared ideas about art, and through their innovations helped create the movement known as Expressionism in early twentieth-century Germany. 

The exhibition focuses on Marc and Macke’s artistic relationship, how their lives intersected, and how their art was developed and received during their lifetimes.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.   

Image: Franz Marc (1880–1916), Siberian Sheepdogs, 1909; Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Stephen M. Kellen

August Macke (1887–1914), Portrait with Apples, 1909; Oil on canvas. Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau, Munich

Whether you go or not, the exhibition catalog, Franz Marc and August Macke: 1909-1914, traces their relationship and features meticulously reproduced images that bring their paintings--and the bond they shared--to life. In addition to paintings, watercolors, and drawings from both artists, this book includes objects and documents that show their connection to one another. A series of essays explore the artists' conversations about color theory and non-representational painting, their work with the Blue Rider group, their joint mural, Paradise, and the influence of French painters on their art. This book also reveals how 20th-century Expressionism evolved during Marc and Macke's collaboration. While celebrating the two men's obvious differences, this volume reveals how their differences served to deepen their friendship and how their distinct artistic styles influences one another.

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