drei Figurenstudien (Portrait Studies) [p. 18] 1944 - 1949

Max Beckmann made these three figure studies with graphite, probably in a sketchbook. Look at the nervous, searching lines. I can imagine Beckmann rapidly trying to capture a fleeting gesture or expression, feeling it necessary to repeat and layer. Each line feels like a question, a probing into the essence of his subjects. There’s a real tension between the freedom of the sketch and the desire to pin something down. The hands are particularly interesting, almost claw-like. He was probably thinking about the old masters while making this. The way the figures emerge from the white page—it’s like they’re rising up from some subconscious place. It reminds me that artists are always in conversation with each other, building on what's come before, digging into art history to find their own way. It's more of a collective journey than anything else.