Zelfportret met sigaret 1894 - 1950

Max Beckmann created this self-portrait with a cigarette using graphite on paper. Immediately, you're struck by Beckmann's confrontational gaze and distorted features. The artist uses harsh, angular lines to define his face, creating a sense of unease. The oversized head and prominent nose, combined with the formality of the suit and bow tie, introduce a tension between the grotesque and the conventional. Beckmann was associated with New Objectivity, and his art often engages with alienation and fragmentation. This self-portrait is no exception; the stark lines and disproportionate features convey a sense of psychological disquiet. The cigarette, held aloft, might symbolize defiance. The drawing is not merely representational. Instead, it uses distortion and exaggeration as tools for conveying emotional and psychological states. It leaves us contemplating the complexities of identity and representation. It asks us, what does it mean to portray oneself with such unflinching honesty?