Profil, "Auktion" (Profile, "Auction") [p. 29] 

Max Beckmann's "Profile, 'Auction'," presents a sketch of figures with outlines that seem to float. This work evokes complex dynamics of exchange. The profiles, rendered in charcoal or a similar medium, recall ancient Roman portraiture, where the profile was a marker of identity and status. Here, however, the figures are enmeshed in what appears to be a transactional space. The act of auction implies both visibility and vulnerability. In classical and Renaissance art, the depiction of markets or exchanges often carried moral undertones, signifying not only economic activity but also human interaction and its potential pitfalls. This echoes in works like Pieter Bruegel's bustling scenes of peasant life, where market activity reflects broader social dynamics. Beckmann’s sketch captures the psychological tension inherent in an auction, where desire and competition intertwine. This primal aspect of human interaction is conveyed through the stark, somewhat frantic lines. It also highlights a darker, subconscious drama playing out in the economic theater of the auction.