Zirkusnummer mit Bären (Performing Bears) [p. 54] 

Max Beckmann created "Performing Bears" as a pencil sketch on paper sometime during his lifetime. Beckmann lived through both World Wars, and his work often reflects the angst and alienation of the interwar period in Germany. This sketch gives us a glimpse into the world of circus performance, a popular form of entertainment but also a space where power dynamics and control are on full display. The bears, rendered with rough, urgent lines, are caught in a moment of performance, their bodies contorted for human amusement. Beckmann’s sketch invites us to consider the complex relationship between humans and animals, exploitation and entertainment. It captures a sense of unease, hinting at the darker aspects of spectacle and the cost of performance, not only for the performing animals but for the human audience as well.