Large Stil Life with Telescope 1927

Max Beckmann made this very large still life with paint, probably oil, but I wasn't there so I can't say for sure! I'm loving these flat planes of color. It feels like he really smushed the space together! Just look at that orange telescope, not only is it huge, it's so close to the picture plane! Imagine being Beckmann making all of these decisions - what to include and how to arrange it all. The edges of things are so clear and well-defined, but within these shapes is a ton of texture, with strokes going in lots of directions. What's up with the lady with the fan, you know? Is she looking out or is she hiding? The telescope is pointing somewhere too. With his dark outlines, Beckmann is talking to Rouault, another painter who liked to outline everything. You can see they are in conversation. Painting can be like that: an ongoing discussion between artists. It leaves lots of room for open-ended questions.