Franz Marc
Franz Marc, who died tragically young, was killed by a piece of shrapnel during the assault on Verdun (the longest and bloodiest battle of WWI) in 1916. He is best remembered as a central figure in German Expressionism and as one of the founders of Der Blaue Reiter with his friend Wassily Kandinsky.
Marc had studied theology, then philosophy, before turning ultimately to art as a career. Animals were also frequent subjects in his paintings—Marc considered them more spiritual and closer to nature than humans. For him they symbolized an age of innocence, an Eden before the Fall, free from the materialism and corruption of his own time. They are viewed as idealized creatures in perfect harmony with the natural world they inhabit.
P.S. You know that we at DailyArt are cat people, but these dogs are so beautiful and the scene is so calming. Perfect for this disturbing month and year. There are actually a few great articles on dogs in DailyArt Magazine; check these awesome dog portraits by Thomas Gainsborough and all the cutest puppies in paintings. <3