Franz Marc pendant : White cat sleeping

Der blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider) was founded in 1911 by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc in Munich, Germany. The name of the movement comes from one of their paintings, "The Blue Rider", which represents freedom and spirituality. The artists of Der blaue Reiter focused on expressing inner feelings and spiritual ideas through art, envisioning an art that would know "neither people nor borders, but only humanity" (Kandinsky). In 1911, a first exhibition was organized, followed in 1912 by the creation of an almanac. Artists such as August Macke and Robert Delaunay joined this movement, which brought together artists from different countries, such as Russia, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, who shared similar ideas about art and life. The art of the Blaue Reiter is known for its bright colors and simplified forms. Paintings from this movement are often associated with themes such as nature, animals, and scenes from everyday life. Some examples include "The Large Blue Horses" (1911) and "The First Animals" (1913) by Franz Marc, "At the Garden Table" (1914) by August Macke, and "Landscape under the Rain" (1913) by Wassily Kandinsky. These works reflect the avant-garde vision and bold technique of these artists and are considered major witnesses of German Expressionist art. Unfortunately, the movement only lasted until 1914, with the outbreak of World War I. Kandinsky fled to Russia, while Marc and Macke both lost their lives on the battlefield. Nevertheless, the essence of the Blauer Reiter movement has survived through the Bauhaus, where Kandinsky taught from 1922.