Zwei Clowns mit Hüten (Two Clowns with Hats) [p. 9] 

Max Beckmann made this sketch, Zwei Clowns mit Hüten, with graphite on paper. The sketch presents two figures rendered with jagged, angular lines that give them a sense of unease. The dominant clown, larger and more aggressively drawn, grins with sharp teeth, while the other is smaller and fades into the background, creating a sense of depth. Beckmann destabilizes the traditional, jovial interpretation of clowns. The clown's exaggerated features are grotesque, disrupting any sense of amusement we might expect. This subversion aligns with broader Expressionist concerns to challenge fixed meanings. Note how Beckmann uses the formal qualities of the sketch – the harsh lines and exaggerated forms – to explore deeper psychological themes. This work invites us to reconsider the clown, not as a figure of simple fun, but as a complex, perhaps even menacing, character.