Weiblicher Akt in Strümpfen (Nude with Stockings) [p. 12] 

Editor: Here we have Max Beckmann’s, “Nude with Stockings," a pencil and ink drawing. There’s a rawness in the sketched lines that is striking. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, focusing on the materiality, consider the cheap paper, the immediacy of the graphite and ink. Beckmann's process is laid bare. It speaks to a certain kind of working-class aesthetic, doesn't it? The subject itself, a nude in stockings – consider the implications of the hosiery. Where was it made? Under what conditions? What do those things say about female labor in relation to artistic production? Editor: I hadn't thought about the social context of the stockings. It shifts the focus away from just the figure. It makes me wonder about the relationship between objectification and labor. Curator: Precisely! We are looking at a mass-produced item, consumed by many, now presented within a supposed fine art context. The stark contrast raises questions: what are the processes that made mass consumption available at that time? Does the material itself inform your impression of the work's mood or impact? Editor: It definitely complicates it. Seeing it simply as a nude study feels incomplete now. I wonder if he intentionally wanted to question the traditional ideas of the Nude with it. Curator: The choice of materials certainly pushes us in that direction. What do you make of the rapid nature of the sketch? Is it possible the constraints of available inexpensive paper impacted the artistic intention? Editor: I see what you mean. Looking at art through the lens of materials opens up new perspectives and discussions about it! Thanks for enlightening me. Curator: It’s fascinating to think about the impact of production and access when viewing something from what we’ve come to regard as the ‘fine’ arts. I think that’s crucial, isn't it?