Artisten am Trapez (Balancing Act on Trapeze) [p. 13] 

This sketch by Max Beckmann depicts performers on a trapeze, rendered with swift, economical lines on notebook paper. The trapeze, with its suggestion of daring and precariousness, is a motif rich in symbolism. Consider the hands reaching, grasping, and balancing. Across cultures and epochs, the hand has signified power, protection, and skill. We see echoes of this in ancient Egyptian art, where hands are prominently displayed in hieroglyphs denoting action and authority. Later, in Renaissance painting, the gestures of hands conveyed complex emotional states and narratives. Beckmann's figures mirror this motif, but with a modern twist. These circus performers hint at a deep-seated fascination with risk, skill, and the human body's capabilities. It taps into a universal desire to test boundaries, whether physical or psychological. This quest is far from linear; rather, it resurfaces in different forms throughout history, reflecting our enduring need to explore the limits of human experience.