Columbine 1950

Max Beckmann made ‘Columbine’ with oil on canvas. The bold outlines in this painting feel like a dare, you know? It’s like, how much can you push the definition of a figure before it becomes something else entirely. I love how Beckmann used colors that both clash and harmonize. That hot pink hat against the cooler tones of her dress. I can almost feel him, wrestling with the paint, trying to capture something elusive. It's like he's saying, "Here’s a painting, but it's also a feeling, a mood, a question." I bet he was listening to some wild jazz music. It reminds me of Picasso's circus performers or maybe Ensor's masked figures. The painting invites you into this ambiguous space where identities blur, and emotions run high. You have to wonder about her expression. Painters are always in conversation, riffing off each other, keeping the energy alive. That's why painting is so exciting. It's not about having all the answers, but about embracing the unknown.