begonnene Skizze eines Mannes mit Bart (Unfinished Sketch of a Man with Beard) [p. 6] 

Curator: This is an unfinished pencil sketch by Max Beckmann, titled "begonnene Skizze eines Mannes mit Bart", or "Unfinished Sketch of a Man with Beard". It’s thought to be a self-portrait. Editor: It feels quite stark, almost vulnerable. The sparse lines reveal more than they conceal, giving the impression of a figure caught in a moment of deep introspection, perhaps even distress. Curator: I agree. It speaks volumes despite its lack of detail. Beckmann, known for his engagement with the anxieties of his time, certainly understood the power of the fragmented and the incomplete. This raw vulnerability, especially as a self-portrait, hints at a profound grappling with identity and the self under duress, maybe even related to the expressionist movement overall. Editor: Considering the limitations of pencil on paper, the deliberate restraint in detail is compelling. What we do see—the downturned mouth, the furrowed brow etched into the paper. There's an economy to it that heightens the impact. Curator: Precisely. He manages to communicate the essence of human experience. What does the notion of a self-portrait sketched with only a pencil tell us about ideas of accessibility of tools for expression and construction of identity in this particular era? Editor: I keep thinking about the physical act of sketching this piece; was this work intended to be left as is? As simply part of a notebook? How does its placement in relation to the whole sketchbook alter our perception? The sketch becomes an exploration of the mundane conditions in which art gets conceived, produced and also consumed. Curator: Yes! The material constraints force both artist and viewer to reckon with authenticity and intention and meaning. Editor: Looking at this incomplete man staring at the artist but looking back at us, makes you wonder about the role of production within a wider matrix. This quick medium of creation speaks for itself. Curator: It’s definitely more layered than it initially seems; the piece reveals something complex about artistic self-perception during times of internal and global conflict. Editor: Absolutely. Curator: Well, I think this has given me a new framework with which to continue thinking about the work of Beckmann. Editor: For me, it deepened an appreciation for material limitations in expression.