Franz Marc, born Franz Moritz Wilhelm (1880-1916), was one of the most influential Expressionist painters in Germany. In 1911, he met Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944), Gabriele Münter (1877-1962), and August Macke (1887-1914) with whom he founded the artists group Der Blaue Reiter [The Blue Rider]. Marc, who became best known for his portrayals of animals, felt intimately connected to them throughout his entire life. Often cited is his statement: “Is there a more mysterious idea for an artist than to imagine how nature is reflected in the eyes of an animal? How does a horse see the world, how does an eagle, a doe, or a dog? It is a poverty-stricken convention to place animals into landscapes as seen by men; instead, we should contemplate the soul of the animal to divine its way of sight.” [In: Franz Marc, “How Does a Horse See the World?”, Theories of Modern Art. A Source Book by Artists and Critics, ed. Herschel B. Chipp. Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1996, p. 178.] Marc volunteered to fight in World War I in 1914; he was killed by shrapnel near Verdun in 1916.