The Little Fish 1933

Max Beckmann made "The Little Fish" with oil on canvas, though the date is unknown, and it hangs in the Pompidou. The first thing I notice is the palette, it’s so muted and yet lively. It’s how Beckmann uses the color that makes the picture move, like an improvisation in paint. There is a beautiful layering of textures and tones. I love how he works and re-works the surface, the layering of the paint is palpable, and yet it remains light. If you look closely at the standing figure’s yellow dress, you can see how the linear brushstrokes create a pattern that seems to vibrate. The artist is so present in the painting. There’s a tension between the simplified forms and the emotional depth of the scene. In some ways, it reminds me of Picasso’s work from the early 1920s, and how he was embracing ambiguity in art.