Profil und Liste (Profile with Notations) [p. 1] 

Here we see a sketch on paper by Max Beckmann, titled "Profile with Notations." The stark profile, juxtaposed with a list of words, evokes a sense of enigmatic depth. The profile portrait is a motif stretching back to antiquity, often used to denote nobility or to capture a sense of timelessness. But here, Beckmann's hand lends the image a rawness, an immediacy that disrupts any classical pretense. The act of listing and naming dates back to ancient Egyptian and Greek practices, where writing down lists was to keep order in both daily life and spiritual beliefs. In this image, it serves as a stark contrast to the fluid lines of the human form. Note the connection to earlier works, such as Renaissance portraiture, and then consider how the meaning has been altered. The profile has shifted from a symbol of status to a form laden with psychological weight. This evolution speaks to our collective memory, a subconscious awareness of how symbols morph and adapt, mirroring the anxieties and aspirations of their time. In Beckmann’s hands, the emotional weight of the profile touches something primal, a search for identity in a world of chaos. The cyclical progression of symbols has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings.