Six Diners at Table 1921

René Beeh made this compelling drawing, "Six Diners at Table", on a sheet of paper, but we don't know when. What strikes me first is the urgent, almost frantic quality of the marks, as if Beeh was racing against time to capture the scene. The charcoal seems to dance across the surface, building up these intense, shadowy figures. Look at the way Beeh uses the charcoal to define the faces - a few quick strokes become a nose, a deeply shadowed eye socket, a downturned mouth. There's something grotesque, almost ghoulish, about these diners. Are they really enjoying their meal, or is there something else going on? The texture is raw, the lines are jagged, and the overall effect is one of unease and tension. I see echoes of Käthe Kollwitz in Beeh's stark, emotive use of line and shadow. Like Kollwitz, Beeh seems interested in conveying the raw realities of human existence, the struggles, the anxieties, the moments of darkness that lurk beneath the surface. It’s a reminder that art isn’t always about beauty; sometimes it’s about confronting the uncomfortable truths.