Woman with Candle (Frau mit Kerze) 1920

Max Beckmann made this woodcut, "Woman with Candle," sometime in the first half of the 20th century. It's stark, like a graphic novel panel, full of thick, deliberate cuts that define the woman's features and the objects around her. I can imagine Beckmann digging into that block of wood, each line a decisive act, trying to capture something about this woman, her world, maybe her worries? The candle casts a soft light, but her eyes are wide, maybe even a little haunted. What's she thinking? The glass beside her hand suggests a quiet moment, or maybe a tense one? Beckmann often explored themes of isolation and anxiety in his work, and you can feel that tension here. He wasn't afraid to show the darker sides of life, but also the inner strength to look into the darkness. Other artists have used light in their work to explore psychological depth, like Paula Modersohn-Becker who found profundity in the simple presentation of the subject. "Woman with Candle" is not just a portrait, but an invitation to feel.