Frankfurt Main Station 1943

oil, canvas

17_20th-century

woman

abstract painting

animal

graffiti art

street art

oil

mural art

handmade artwork painting

canvas

fluid art

acrylic on canvas

street graffiti

expressionism

naive art

painting art

building

Max Beckmann's "Frankfurt Main Station" (1943) portrays the imposing Frankfurt Main Station, a symbol of urban modernity and connectivity, in the midst of wartime. The painting features a prominent crescent moon, a recurring motif in Beckmann's work, and the use of bold colors and simplified forms, characteristic of his expressionistic style. The work is housed at the Städel Museum and offers a glimpse into the artist's personal experiences during a tumultuous period in German history.

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stadelmuseum over 1 year ago

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Ten years after fleeing the National Socialist regime and being in exile in Amsterdam, Beckmann painted this view of the main train station in Frankfurt. He had enjoyed spending time there, absorbing the lively and international atmosphere or visiting the luxurious restaurant in the entrance hall. Though he painted it only from memory, Beckmann managed to reproduce the building and station square accurately. Meanwhile, observing the scenery once again, there is the black cat which repeatedly appears in Beckmann’s works, making the picture’s contents more enigmatic. In this case, the main train station served him as an ambiguous symbol for arrival and departure – a theme that he dealt with all his life.