Zwei Frauen (Two Women) [p. 5] 1927

Max Beckmann made this drawing of two women with graphite on paper, probably in one of his sketchbooks. You can see where he’s thinking, testing, and searching. I can relate to Beckmann's drawing process here—it’s like he's feeling out the forms, trying to capture a sense of weight and presence with simple, clear lines. Look at the woman on the left, with her hands raised to her chin in a pensive gesture; the lines are angular, almost like facets of a sculpture. The other woman's gaze is more direct and challenging. It’s like he's setting up a silent dialogue between them. When I look at this sketch, I think about other artists like Picasso or Kirchner, who were also exploring the human form in new ways during the early 20th century. Artists are always in conversation with one another, riffing off each other's ideas and approaches. There’s an enduring fascination with the human figure, and the way it can be abstracted, distorted, or reconfigured to express different emotional and psychological states.