Main River Landscape (Mainlandschaft) 1918

Max Beckmann’s 1918 lithograph, "Main River Landscape (Mainlandschaft)," depicts a bridge over the Main River in Frankfurt, Germany. Beckmann was a German Expressionist artist known for his bold, often distorted, and highly personal depictions of urban life. The lithograph’s simplified forms and dramatic use of line convey a sense of alienation and unease. The composition’s emphasis on the bridge, boats and the river itself, further conveys a sense of isolation and detachment from the natural world, suggesting a feeling of anxiety and instability in the aftermath of World War I.