Mountains

"Mountains", painted by Franz Marc between 1911 and 1912, is a captivating piece you see right here at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Measuring over a meter wide and even taller at 1.3 meters high, it commands attention. Marc was known for his use of vivid colors and his focus on animals, especially horses, though here, he's turned his attention to the majesty of mountains. Rather than a realistic portrayal, Marc gives us his interpretation through bold shapes and an almost electric palette of greens, blues, reds, and white. Notice how the white cuts through the center, like a snowy path or perhaps the very peaks catching the light. It draws your eye through the painting. The way he's used his brushstrokes adds to the energy of the piece, wouldn't you say? And without a clear horizon line, we're left to experience these "Mountains" as pure color and form, a truly modern take on a classic subject.