Kamel, Nilpferd, Zebra (Camel, Hippo, Zebra) [p. 7] 

Max Beckmann made this pencil sketch of a camel, hippo, and zebra on paper, as part of a larger sketchbook. Beckmann was German, and he lived through both World Wars. His art often reflects the anxieties and absurdities of the interwar period in Germany. In this sketch, the grouping of exotic animals seems to hint at the broader cultural fascination with the primitive and the exotic. During this time, artists were interested in non-Western art and culture. It’s clear that the image is only a sketch. It has an improvisational, spontaneous quality. In German Expressionism, this style was meant to suggest an authentic mode of perception. The artist was trying to get behind the surface of things to find deeper meanings. To understand Beckmann's visual language, we need to research the cultural and artistic context in which it was made. The social history of art can reveal the world of meaning behind even a quick sketch.