zwei Männer und eine Frau an der Bar (Three for Drinks) [p. 42] 1927

Max Beckmann made this sketchy drawing of 'Three for Drinks' on paper with graphite. Looking at it, I can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page, chasing the fleeting moment. The marks are quick and jittery, anxious even. But they catch the weight and heft of these figures crowded around a table. I imagine the artist, maybe at a cafe, trying to distill the essence of a scene into a few lines. What were they thinking when they made it? I can see the cross-hatching giving volume to the figures. The texture of the graphite creates a sense of immediacy, like a snapshot from the subconscious. Artists like Beckmann inspire me to embrace the raw energy of the sketch, letting my hand wander and discover new forms and ideas. It's all part of this ongoing conversation that artists have across time.