Unveiling Beckmann

Max Beckmann, Self-Portrait with a Cigarette (1923). Courtesy of 2016 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn. Source: MoMA

In Max Beckmann: The Formative Years, 1915-1925 at Neue Galerie, we discover a multifaceted Beckmann beyond his iconic circus and masked figures, exploring religious themes, creating elegant portraits, and expressing social critique through bold drawings and graphics.

During World War I, Beckmann served as a nurse and medical orderly, which left him traumatized and ultimately led to a nervous breakdown. The exhibition begins with drawings and drypoints from this period, reflecting his harrowing experiences.

The emaciated figures in paintings like “Descent From the Cross,” “Christ and the Sinner,” and “Adam and Eve” (all from 1917) reveal Beckmann’s inspiration from Northern Renaissance woodcuts, and his crowded compositions foreshadow his later works.

The show progresses to showcase elegantly painted female portraits, incisive drawings, and prints of male subjects that made Beckmann a favored painter among a circle of collectors, intellectuals, and friends during the Weimar Republic in the early 1920s. It also presents a reclining nude, crowded still lifes, and “Paris Society,” a densely painted canvas of men and women in evening dress, reflecting the raw and intense style Beckmann is known for.

The following gallery delves into drypoints and lithographs from 1914 to 1919, displaying titles like “Hell,” “Hunger,” and “The Martyrdom,” which align with the post-World War I gloom in Germany. Beckmann’s ability to extract drama from scratchy lines and tones is evident in these works. Self-portrait prints and a 1922 canvas with Beckmann scowling and holding a cigarette make the artist’s presence undeniable.

In the subsequent section, we encounter various self-portraits of Beckmann in different attire, along with narrow paintings depicting multiple figures in chaotic compositions. The imagery here is a blend of tender colors and unsettling undertones, featuring circus performers and people in peculiar positions.

The exhibition is on display at the Neue Galerie until January 15, 2024.

Featured image: Max Beckmann Self-Portrait with a Cigarette (1923). Courtesy of 2016 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn. Source: MoMA

Jean-Michel Basquiat | Untitled (1982) | Christie's

Basquiat’s Iconic 1982 Work Set for Christie’s Evening Sale

With an estimated value between $20 million and $30 million, a standout 1982 work on paper by Jean-Michel Basquiat will be featured at Christie’s 21st Century Evening Sale. The piece portrays a classic Basquiat figure adorned with a laurel wreath. The consignor is Peter Brant, one of Basquiat’s major collectors. This large untitled piece, held

Read more »
Ralph Lemon at the MoMA | Untitled no. 3 (2017) | Zarastro Art

Ralph Lemon at MoMA PS1: An Exploration of Movement and Memory

Ceremonies Out of the Air at MoMA PS1 by Ralph Lemon presents over sixty artworks from the past decade—spanning dance, video installations, drawings, sculptures, photographs, paintings, and live performances. Lemon engages with postmodern dance and storytelling, using the body as an archive to challenge conventional perspectives. Lemon’s movement-based works challenge formalist conventions and disrupt historical narratives,

Read more »
Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum | It Will End in Tears | Barbican

Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum at the Barbican: Exploring Colonialism and Identity through Cinematic Storytelling

It Will End in Tears at the Barbican presents a hauntingly immersive journey framed by minimalist “film sets” reminiscent of noir cinema. With influences from Hitchcock to Bessie Head, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum’s visual storytelling delves into the complexities of identity, colonial legacies, and self-determination. Collaborating with set designer Remco Osório Lobato, Sunstrum creates minimalist, skeletal film

Read more »
Be the First
to Know
Sign up to receive the latest art world news and insights, updates about our artists and exhibitions, and
much more.

Contact us

Fill in the form below to inquire about this artwork.

Join our newsletter and grab your free copy of Best Exhibitions Around the World in 2024.

 

Plus, continue to stay updated on the contemporary art world through a weekly digest of headlines and our own new articles!