Zwei Figuren auf dem Trapez (Two Figures on a Trapeze) [p. 16] 

Curator: This intriguing ink and pencil drawing is by Max Beckmann. Titled "Zwei Figuren auf dem Trapez," or "Two Figures on a Trapeze," it shows... well, what do you see? Editor: It's stark, almost unnerving. The figures seem vulnerable, exposed. The lack of detail, the stark lines...it feels incomplete, raw, even. Are they actually on a trapeze, or is it metaphorical? Curator: That rawness is a hallmark of Beckmann's style. As for the trapeze, that's part of the symbolism. Circuses were prevalent imagery reflecting a disoriented society at the time of this art's publication. The incomplete state reflects Beckmann’s recurring themes of displacement, human failure, and the search for truth. What are some historical circus facts? Editor: The figure in front with his back turned makes me immediately think about surveillance and visibility. Who is watching whom? What expectations are involved with these figures being displayed this way in this space? What is the social and political statement, given what was happening at this time? Curator: I'm with you in viewing it as something so much more profound than a scene. The image presents themes common throughout modern life – exposure, scrutiny, finding balance in the face of great social strain. The circus became an iconographic image representing a modern society. The use of bare outlines for the two characters draws particular emphasis to the figure in the foreground that hides away from the public audience behind him. What psychological elements could be in play there? Editor: The hidden-from-view character behind emphasizes the alienation between an increasingly isolated, disenfranchised self, a broken connection with audiences of strangers. What’s visible or hidden, controlled versus uninhibited...all resonate powerfully during times of oppression. Even now! Curator: The imagery used continues to have an impressive resonance, particularly considering modern political climates, even now nearly a century after these raw images first gained notice. Editor: Absolutely, a truly provocative example.