Mehrfigurige Kompositionsskizze (Figural Sketch) [p. 28] 

Editor: This is Max Beckmann's "Mehrfigurige Kompositionsskizze," or "Figural Sketch," rendered in pencil and ink on paper. It feels very raw and immediate, almost like we're seeing inside the artist's head. What stands out to you about this sketch? Curator: The very notion of a 'sketch' itself is interesting here. We tend to think of sketches as disposable, preliminary – outside the realm of 'art' proper. But seen through a materialist lens, the sketch reveals the artist’s labour, the immediate contact with the materials, the economics of artistic production. What kind of paper is he using? How does that choice impact the quality of the lines he can produce? Editor: That’s interesting. I never really thought about the type of paper impacting the overall quality, I was more focused on what the drawing is depicting. So the economic constraints that influence the choices the artist makes impact the final product? Curator: Precisely. Even the use of a pencil versus charcoal speaks to the artist’s resources, both financial and practical. Pencil allows for erasures, changes in mind… A fluidity crucial for the labor of developing ideas. Think also about access: was Beckmann, a man, more or less likely to have ready access to art supplies in this time than, say, a female artist or artist of color? Editor: I see your point. So by looking at something as simple as the medium—pencil and ink—we're actually uncovering layers about the artist's process, societal influences, and even their economic situation. Curator: Absolutely. It dismantles the myth of the solitary genius, untouched by material concerns. This sketch is evidence of labor, of decision-making processes, of engagement with the tools at hand, embedded in a specific place and time. Editor: Wow, that’s a totally different way of looking at it. I appreciate you offering this perspective! Curator: My pleasure! Always important to think about the labor and resources that go into even the most "effortless" piece of art.