The Barker (Der Ausrufer) 1921

This is ‘The Barker’ by Max Beckmann, an etching, so we can see the process in those bitten lines. It feels like a quick sketch, something intuitive, born out of the process of mark-making. Look at the way the lines create this guy's face, especially around the eyes and mouth. There’s a real intensity there, a feeling of someone who's seen a lot, maybe too much. The lines aren't delicate or refined; they're bold and rough, almost like he’s carving the image out of the plate. The way the shading is created by the clustering of lines in the jacket, or the sparse hatching on his forehead, gives the image depth and weight, but the line is always king. Beckmann reminds me of Grosz. The way both artists capture the raw energy and gritty reality of their time. But with Beckmann, there's always a sense of something deeper, a kind of existential angst that makes you wonder what's really going on behind those eyes. Ultimately, art is an ongoing conversation, and it is up to you, the viewer, to make your own meaning.