Yellow Cow

Franz Marc · 1911

🧒 Art for Kids 🇩🇪 Germany 🌀 Abstract Art 🐯 Expressionism & Fauvism: Wild Color

Why it's great

A bright yellow cow leaps through a landscape of blue and red hills, with its head thrown back. Franz Marc used yellow for happiness and joy. The cow seems to dance in the sun. It's one of his most cheerful animal paintings.

👀 Look closer!

This cow seems to be jumping for joy. What colors did the painter use for the hills?

Where to see it

📍 Solomon R. Guggenheim MuseumNew York City, United States

Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →

Hang it on your wall

⬇ Hi-res download 1,067 × 797 px · 0.9 megapixels This is the largest scan on Wikimedia Commons, which is fairly small for a big print. The museum that owns it may offer a larger one. File page & license ↗

Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:

💵 Budget Etsy ↗ Posters and simple prints from small sellers, usually the lowest prices. 🖼️ Mid-range Fine Art America ↗ Good printing on paper, canvas or metal, made to order, with framing options. 🏛️ High-end Meisterdrucke ↗ Museum-grade giclée prints on archival paper or canvas, the closest to the real thing.

These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.

About the artist

Franz Marc

1880–1916 · born in Kreuzstraße · died in Verdun

Franz Marc was born in Munich, Germany, and loved painting animals as a symbol of purity. He co-founded the Blue Rider group with Wassily Kandinsky, and he used bold colors like blue and yellow to express feelings. He lived in Bavaria. He died in World War I in 1916 at age 36.