In the Mood for… Marc: Little Monkey

Posted bySarahPosted inArt, PaintingTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

img_5084-1

“In the Mood for… Marc: Little Monkey” (acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24 cm, 2016).

Last weekend I finished my latest painting “In the Mood for… Marc: Little Monkey”! Due to my eye condition (corneal erosion), it took much longer than usual… but having managed it at all, makes me incredibly happy and content! 🙂

It´s a tribute to the german expressionist painter Franz Marc (1880-1916) who has been a vital  part of the artistic group “Der Blaue Reiter” (The Blue Rider).

His work is characterized by primary colors and most of his paintings portray animals whose movements and being he caught beautifully and in stark simplicity.

Marc assigned certain meanings and emotions to colours: blue was used to represent masculinity and spirituality, yellow stands for feminine joy and red for the sound of violence.

kopie-von-img_5084
detail “In the Mood for… Marc: Little Monkey”

As always, I don´t seek to produce an exact copy, but merely try to make myself aquainted with a different style and to somehow catch the essence of the painting that speaks to me. So, if you look closely and compare the works, you´ll of course notice many differences 😉

If you click here you can have a look at the original Little Monkey by Franz Marc!

Side note: The National Socialists suppressed modern art under their regime and condemned the late Franz Marc as a degenerate artist (“Entarteter Künstler”) and banned many of his works from museum and galleries – unbelievable but sadly true…

Published by Sarah

Artist & Illustrator

64 thoughts on “In the Mood for… Marc: Little Monkey”

  2. My mother liked Franz Marc, she purchased UNICEF note cards with his colorful pictures on them. Sarah, the monkey and textures in the layered forest were beautifully captured. You showed a real creative talent here. 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Your painting is beautiful Sarah. I hadn’t heard of Marc before, but am going to check out more of his work. I think you’ve caught the balance between inspiration and learning technique. I like that the colours are more muted in your picture, and knowing that you’ve struggled to produce it while your eye is troubling you makes it even more special. Stunning! Hope you have a wonderful weekend. xxxxxxxxxx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes, it really has that cubist feel. He did it in a lot of paintings, combining different styles and aspects… I´m not much of a cubist, though, which is why my painting mostly looks so different, I guess. That and the colours of course.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Well I like how you noted that you do not aim to replicate exactly –
        And don’t want to get rambling too much – but there are so many kinds of artists and some of the ones who duplicate and do exact replicas are often viewed so talented – and while they are – because they can have their eye and hand communicate so well – but sometimes (in my experience) those artists lack creativity and also just have different gifts. A do u know what I mean?

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I think I know exactly what you mean, Yvette, and I agree.
        The thing is, I thought of doing exact replicas at first, and I think I could do it with enough practice and time, but when I did my first inspired painting (the girl with the pearl earring) I somehow had to paint her diferently – there was that other girl in my mind´s eyes that wanted out, and if you look at them both, the differences are not only in their appearances but also in their attitude, at least, that´s what I see… 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      3. oh I think I actually remember your girl with the pearl earring – wow
        and sometimes duplicating can have its own therapeutic value – and I know some artists that love to duplicate (or copy) a photo to canvas. And those who do it extra well are sometimes esteemed as the more talented of artist, yet their creative skills can be so low – in my experience at least – and some of the most passionate – creative – talented – original -and amazing artists are usually not those that duplicate well – if that makes sense.

        and yet often sometimes these are the students that everyone googles over in class – or they are the ones that traditional schools select – and mona brooks would say they have the extra connection to be able to see and translate that to the hand – and while we do need to learn how to this – it has much value even beyond portrait work and copy stuff; it can discipline the mind and grow our skills and whatnot, but just sayin’ that there is a different group of artists who duplicate well – and they are not always better than….

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Thank you so much for your very lovely and thoughtful comment, dear Yvette! And I do understand what you mean about skill vs creativity.
        If you look closely at certain masterpieces from the Italian Renaissance for example, you will almost always find some details in the depicted human physiology that are horrendously wrong (like too big hands, foot or much too long necks), but they are all the same so amazingly beautiful and expressive that nobody really cares… 😉
        Of course I admire people that can copy something perfectly but then, maybe like you, I suspect them to be not very creative on their own…
        I admit that I do this series inspired by the great masters for very many reasons, like that I absolutely love the paintings I choose, want to practice different techniques, or that I wonder if I could grab the essence of it somehow but still make it my own… Well, I hope you understand what I mean 😉 Wish you a wonderful weekend! xxxxxxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      5. I understand what you mean (about the work you do inspired. By the masters)
        And it has so much value for learning technique and honing your skills – and also moving us inside (as you note)
        But there is something else with making our version of a piece – it allows us to intimately get to know a work in a way we would otherwise miss.
        It is like going to a long lunch with a new friend – where we talk and talk – when we work to make our close version of a piece – we intimately know the lines – get a feel for use of space – and we bond with the piece in a way that is an experience and adds to our overall being.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Never saw the original and. Great job on yours
    The curve of the lower hand and the curve of the tail have nice sync and informally
    Balance the picture – along with other elements – like the contrasting red/ green

    And interesting that if red was for violence he used in not quite a violent way – to me at least

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you very much for your wonderful comment, lovely Yvette! 🙂 I´ve never had the pleasure to have one of my works being so artfully described, which is funny ´cause as an art historian, that´s how I did it all the time 😉 I rather love the experience…
      Yes, it´s funny with the colours, although I should add the descriptions I gave are not complete and mere hints at the manifold thoughts he shared about it. I also don´t feel the violence in the red, at least not in that particular sense. It´s more about power and hidden other aspects, I think…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Oooo – yes – that is interesting to ponder – the hidden aspects and all.

        Plus as u know – it is not the same to see copies of these masterpieces – they look way different in person – way different on a poster – and then different on our screen.
        And even then standing back or zooming in
        Well that changes the color feel as well
        –
        Hm

        Liked by 1 person

      2. That´s it exactly!! I am so often disappointed when I visit an exhibition and go to the art gift shop afterwards to get some postcards or posters from the paintings I liked most, and the printings don´t look at all like the original regarding colour and atmosphere. So I end up taking pictures (if it is allowed which is not always the case) and print them myself 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Good idea to print some yourself – and I don’t mind that replicas look so different – but I guess it always a good thing to remember – esp of it is a small print of a larger work.
        I find that some famous Dutch paintings ( i live close to DC and so we can see some cool classics) but some of those I actually like the small prints better – ha!

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you sooo much, my dear friend!! 🙂 I´m really glad you like the painting! I had a lot of fun doing it 🙂
      And thank also for all your good wishes! You´re so sweet! 🙂 Wishing you a wonderful day, and even better week and a great pre-Christmas time with an amazing and adventurous cruise trip to come! 😀 Hugs&Kisses! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. What a wonderful post, Sarah. I love Franz Marc, and so do my preschoolers. Really. When I introduce the art masters in the spring, Marc is a favorite, especially Large Blue Horses. We paint this piece over and over again. Isn’t that wonderful?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your lovely and interesting comment, dear Jennie! 🙂 I love to hear what kids like about art, as I´m working once a week with them and teach pottery classes! And I can only imagine too well how much your preschoolers like Marc! His use of colors and animals endears him much to everyone and opens the mind for art in a wonderful way, I think. 🙂 The Horses are especially beautiful and I´m sure the kids feel the energy and power that is radiating from this painting. Wish you a very lovely week! 🙂 xxxxxx

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. You are welcome, Sarah. Every year Marc is a big hit. I do a huge Art Show for the town, which takes at least a month for children to paint their “masterpiece”. After all, the great artists didn’t create art in a day. The secret ingredient is empowering children, so that they want to, because they can. I have children title their pieces, too. Very special. Oh, how I would love to see a Marc in a museum.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Your art show sounds so lovely! I´d love to see it! And I think it´s a good idea to let the kids work a bit longer on their master pieces 🙂 They learn so much this way: patience, respect for the process, the materials, themselves… As you say, the great masters didn´t create their pieces in one day either, it actually took several years. There´s a painting by Rembrandt on which he worked over ten year because he was never satisfied with the result!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Thank you, Sarah. Yes, it was years for the great masters. Which Rembrandt piece took him over ten years? I am lucky to live in New England with many fine art museums. What a treat for me and my husband! And, with every visit I bring great ideas back to the classroom. I will have to write an art blog post very soon!

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I´m not exactly sure which one it was: “Susanna and the Elders” or the other “Susanna”, they´re both wonderful and to be admired in the Berlin Gemäldegalerie 🙂 I´m equally lucky with museums and galleries and know exactly what wonderful hours you and your husband enjoy there 😉 Looking forward to your art blog post! Have a wonderful weekend, Jennie! xxxxx

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you soooo much, Inese!! 🙂 For both the lovely compliment and the good wishes! 😀 Wish you also a wonderful week, filled with lots of opportunities to make awesome and stunning pictures! 😉 xxxxxxxxxxxxx ❤

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  14. I absolutely adore this piece …. I know the work of Franz Marc and love it, and this is such a wonderful facsimile – truly in the spirit but so clearly from your own heart and hand. I am so sorry about your eye condition …. I am ignorant of eyes – is this a fixable condition? I hope so xxx

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you very much, Osyth! This means a lot to me, especially when you´re already in love with his works!!
      And yes, in theory it is a fixable condition, either with lots of time or/and surgery (I prefer lots of time without surgery 😉 ). It´s more or less annoying, especially with drawing and painting ´cause that strains already a normal healthy eye 😉
      Wish you a wonderful week! xxxxxx ❤

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. I will do my own sort of praying for your eye 🙏🏼 and I am delighted by that picture. In fact, I am going to draw your blog to the attention of my ex-husband’s girlfriend (she is from Leipzig and really lovely) … he won’t listen to me (that’s why we are ex and not married!) but she will and he actually introduced me to Marc’s work. He is a sculpter and I know he will like your work if he doesn’t get it recommended by me … silly world we live in, right? Xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Thank you so much for your concern and your own-sort-of prayers, dear Osyth!! 🙂 You´re so sweet and thoughtful! Hugs to you my friend!! 🙂
        And I´m perfectly thrilled that you want to draw your ex-husbands/his girlfriend attention to my little blog!! That´s so wonderful and I really appreciate it very much 😀 And I think you´ve got and admiringly way to handle him (via his girlfriend 😉 ) – it´s how many men in life seem to want to be treated, around corners… 😉 And although you´re not an item anymore, I think it´s lovely how you can relate postive thoughts with him, like with him introducing you to Marc 🙂 I also always try to remember people by their good sites, even if you got out of touch somehow…
        Wish you a perfect and happy day! 🙂 xxxxxx ❤

        Liked by 1 person

      3. If we can’t take a positive out of a situation or relationship and forgive the other for whatever didn’t work whilst accepting our own failings, I think we can’t grow. Xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      5. I’d better get on and write something then …. I have been shamefully lazy since I arrived in England last Thursday but in fairness I have been with my mother, have seen two of my four daughters, seen my sister-in-law for the first time in at least 20 years and am spending time with my baby brother who had a near fatal accident in Bangkok in August – all of a sudden when you hug the man you have know all your life except the first 4, and who you honestly thought you would lose just 4 short months ago, everything else seems of little importance. My life is rich indeed xxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      6. Family comes first! There’s no doubt about that and I’m so glad your brother survived his accident!! Hold him tight!
        As you might have noticed I couldn’t hold to my promise to read your lovely blog because as soon as my latest post was published my pc crashed! After that was taken care of my internet connection broke down! So now I’m sitting in a library where I can use the internet for free but am cursing my tiny smartphone screen 😉 Anyway, just want you to know that I haven’t forgotten you but will take a while until everything runs normal again. Wish you a wonderful week dear Osyth! Hugs&kisses! 😃

        Liked by 1 person

      7. My dear friend – never apologise for being absent …. life is often unintentionally overwhelming, I find. It is truly lovely to see you when i do but there is never a pressure. Thank you for your kindness about my brother …. it is very much appreciated. Bon week-end to you xxxxx

        Liked by 1 person

      8. Thank you so much for your beautiful words dear Osyth! 😄 They warm my heart! 😚 And it’s the same over here 😃 Wish you and your loved ones a wonderful and very merry Christmas with lots of lovely moments and joy!!! xxxxxxxxxx😚🎄🎀🐑⛄

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Divya! Thank you sooo much for your wonderful and thoughtful words!! That´s such a beautiful compliment and I am so happy that you like it! I also often feel that it´s the differences in life (and art) that makes everything so much more interestingly and wirthwile 🙂
      Wish you an amazing autumn week and please let me know when you´ve finished your water-color! 😀 xxxxxxxx ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment