Sitzender Affe (Sitting Monkey) [p. 35] 

Here we see a sketch of a sitting monkey by Max Beckmann. Notice how the monkey is hunched over, its gaze directed upwards, almost as if in supplication. The figure of the monkey has long served as a powerful, multifaceted symbol in art and culture. Throughout history, the monkey appears in a variety of roles: a symbol of base instincts, foolishness and mockery of human endeavor. Yet, the monkey is also seen as an imitator of human behavior. Consider the ancient Egyptian baboon devoted to Thoth, the god of wisdom and writing. Or, the monkey-musicians of Renaissance art, mocking human artistic endeavors. In each instance, the monkey serves as a mirror, reflecting aspects of ourselves back at us. It's an image that stirs deep within our collective memory. Beckmann's monkey is not merely a symbol; it is a visceral expression of human nature, ever-changing, and eternally present in our cultural consciousness.