Groep mensen proost op de jaarwisseling 1917 - 1919

Max Beckmann made this print called 'Group of People Toasting the New Year' with etching. What’s interesting to me is the all-over quality, like he’s not trying to make a perfect illusion, just letting the lines build up into a kind of frenzy. Look at how Beckmann scratches into the plate to create the faces. Each mark seems immediate, uncorrected, giving the whole scene a raw, almost desperate energy. You can almost feel the scratch of the needle, and this texture creates an emotional depth that pulls you in. Notice how the lines around the figure with the eye-patch are more agitated, almost violent. It's like he's not just drawing a face, but also capturing a feeling, maybe anxiety or tension. This kind of mark-making reminds me of Picasso's prints – that same urgency and willingness to leave the process visible. And you can see echoes of Ensor's grotesque figures too. It’s like Beckmann is having a conversation with art history, but making it his own. Ultimately, this print shows us that art isn't about perfection, it’s about feeling and expression, and the process is part of the story.