Tiger 1912

Curator: We’re looking at Franz Marc’s “Tiger,” an oil painting from 1912 currently housed at the Lenbachhaus in Munich. Editor: Wow, that yellow punches you right in the face! But somehow it's not aggressive. More like… watchful, contained. Almost sad. Curator: I agree. The composition is a series of fractured planes—greens, purples, oranges—that could suggest a jungle environment, yet they seem to confine the tiger more than liberate it. Notice how the geometric forms, typical of Marc’s Expressionist style at the time, contribute to a sense of fragmentation. Editor: It’s as if the tiger is both part of its environment and totally separate from it. All these shapes, yes, feel restrictive, or like something is off about his world. Why this particular shade of yellow, though? Curator: Well, Marc used color to evoke specific emotions and associations. Yellow, for him, often symbolized femininity and gentleness. Here, I think it highlights the animal’s inherent vulnerability beneath its fierce exterior. A stark contrast with, say, the powerful, masculine connotations of blue that he favored. Editor: I like that. The fragmented landscape echoes the interior life of the tiger itself; as if what happens on the outside reflects feelings on the inside. Almost like he's been caught up between what he wants and how the world lets him express it. A battle within himself... Makes one contemplate his mental condition as it goes far from simple instinct and wildlife behavior. Curator: Exactly! Marc aimed to reveal the spiritual essence of animals. There's such intensity conveyed using this palette. What remains so affecting after more than a century, I find, is not simply the vibrant surface, but what it communicates regarding the interconnectedness between all living beings and the landscapes around them. Editor: Beautifully put. He paints an emotional landscape using animals rather than figures and reveals some hidden feeling. Something we could be feeling but couldn’t name. And there’s some kind of peace within these contrasts. Fascinating.