Kleiner Mann mit Kappe (Small Man with a Hat) [p. 5] 

Max Beckmann made this sketch of a man with a hat in pencil on paper. Beckmann lived through both World Wars in Germany, which had a profound impact on his artistic vision. He was dismissed from his post as a professor at the Städel Art School by the Nazis in 1933 as part of their campaign against modern art. This small sketch, with its somewhat satirical take on the common man, may reflect Beckmann's complex relationship with German society during this tumultuous period. The figure's slightly askew hat and knowing smirk could be interpreted as a subtle critique of the social norms and expectations of the time. The context of institutional art history is crucial here. Beckmann's expulsion highlights the fraught relationship between art and politics. By consulting historical archives, letters, and critical writings, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and institutional forces that shaped Beckmann's art and its reception. Art doesn't exist in a vacuum; it's a product of its time.