Mann mit Spitzbart (Man with a Pointed Beard) [p. 66] 

Max Beckmann made this drawing, Man with a Pointed Beard, using pencil on paper. Beckmann was a German artist who lived through both World Wars, events that profoundly impacted his artistic vision. This drawing, with its stark lines and almost grotesque features, reflects the unease and psychological disruption prevalent in Germany between the wars. The pointed beard, an old-fashioned style, hints at a critique of outdated social structures. The man's closed eyes and downcast expression suggest introspection, or perhaps resignation, in the face of a turbulent world. Beckmann was associated with the New Objectivity movement, a rejection of Romantic idealism in favor of a more direct and often cynical view of reality. By studying the cultural history of the Weimar Republic, the socio-economic conditions that shaped the art market, and the rise of expressionism, we can gain a deeper understanding of this drawing. Art like this is contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was made.