Zwei Skizzen und Notizen (Two Sketches with Notations) [p. 17] 1914 - 1915

Max Beckmann made these sketches and notations on paper, a glimpse into his raw, unfiltered process. Look at how the ink sits—almost vibrating on the page. It's like he's wrestling with form, letting the pen lead the way. Beckmann's lines here are wiry and immediate. They capture the essence of the figures with a few deft strokes. See the top sketch? The figure on the left has this elongated neck, almost like a Giacometti sculpture, but with a dark sense of humor. It's not just about representation, but more about the feeling of being human. The ink bleeds slightly into the paper, giving it a tactile quality. Beckmann's work, like that of other expressionists such as Kirchner, embraces this kind of ambiguity. This piece reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, an open-ended exploration of what it means to see and feel. It invites us to bring our own interpretations and experiences to the table, and that's what makes it so engaging.