Dream of War 1946

Curator: This is Max Beckmann’s "Dream of War" from the Harvard Art Museums, a stark pen and ink drawing. It really gets under your skin, doesn't it? Editor: Yes. The raw energy of that ink work is compelling, like a nightmare bleeding onto the page. It gives me the shivers. Curator: Beckmann, deeply affected by his experiences during World War I, frequently used the printmaking process to disseminate his critical perspective on the social conditions of his time. The sharp lines and simplified forms speak volumes about trauma. Editor: The disfigured body on the cart, the haunting figure below... It’s all so visceral. It's almost like a grotesque puppet show playing out the horrors of the battlefield. Curator: Exactly. It’s this potent combination of material rawness and sharp, unflinching imagery that makes it so resonant, even today. Editor: It’s a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict, rendered with brutal honesty. I'll certainly not forget this one soon.