Lachende Frau mit an den Kopf gelegten Händen (Woman Laughing with Hands at her Head) [p. 57] 

Max Beckmann drew this sketch of a laughing woman with graphite on paper, but when remains unclear. Beckmann, a German artist who lived through both World Wars, often explored themes of psychological distress and social commentary in his work. Here, the woman's exaggerated expression might suggest hysteria or nervous laughter, a mask for deeper anxieties. The loose sketch style, common in German Expressionism, emphasizes raw emotion over polished representation. Beckmann's personal experiences in World War I profoundly influenced his artistic vision, leading him to portray the human condition with unflinching honesty and a sense of disillusionment. The institutional pressures of the time, with the rise of totalitarian regimes, may have further fueled this interest in the darker aspects of human psychology. To fully understand the social context of this work, we might turn to historical archives and biographical materials. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.