Groep geeuwende mensen 1918 - 1919

Max Beckmann made this etching, called "Groep geeuwende mensen", which translates as "Group of Yawning People", sometime in his career. The marks are raw, the lines are quickly sketched, and the whole piece feels immediate and unprocessed, kind of like a yawn itself. Look closely at the way Beckmann uses line to define the forms. It's scratchy, almost nervous, and he doesn’t fuss over details. See how the lines create shadows and volume. The texture of the paper adds to the roughness, making the yawning faces almost jump out at you. I find myself drawn to the figure in the lower left. The dark, cavernous mouth and the sharp, angular lines of the face, it’s like a scream trapped in a yawn. Beckmann's bluntness reminds me of some of the early Expressionists, like Kirchner, who weren't afraid to show the gritty side of life. But Beckmann has his own thing going on. He’s not just documenting; he’s digging into something deeper, maybe the absurdity of being human. Art isn’t about answers; it’s about asking the right questions.