Bezeichnete Skizze mit zwei sitzende Figuren (Two Seated Figures) [p. 10] 1918 - 1919

Max Beckmann made this sketch of two seated figures with pencil on graph paper. Beckmann belonged to a generation of German artists who came of age during the First World War. His art often expresses disillusionment with social norms and traditional values, yet also a deep understanding of human nature. This sketch, like many of his works, invites us to consider the social dynamics at play. Made at a time of enormous social upheaval in Germany, we might ask, what is the relationship between these two figures? Are they equals, or is there a power dynamic at work? Are they friends, or strangers thrown together by circumstance? The grid provides an interesting institutional context, does it represent the constraints that society places on individuals? To understand this work more fully, we might consult Beckmann's diaries and letters, as well as historical accounts of the period. Art is not created in a vacuum, but rather is deeply embedded in the social and institutional contexts of its time.