Notizen und Gesicht (Notation and Face) [p. 20] 

Max Beckmann created this drawing, ‘Notizen und Gesicht,’ with graphite on paper. Likely made in Germany between the wars, this sketchbook page offers us a glimpse into the artist’s process of visual note-taking. Beckmann was associated with the New Objectivity movement, a reaction against the emotional intensity of Expressionism, which favored a return to detached realism in response to the trauma of World War I. However, it might be more accurate to say that Beckmann’s art defies any easy classification. His work often blends social commentary with mythological and literary references. The face here may be a quick study for a larger composition, or perhaps a chance encounter. Either way, its rough and expressive handling also reminds us that art historians rely on an artist's sketchbooks, letters, and diaries for a deeper insight into the intentions behind their finished works. These archival resources are vital in revealing the social conditions and intellectual frameworks that gave shape to the art of the past.