Liegende Frau mit Netzstrümpfen (Reclining Woman with Fishnet Stockings) [p. 40] 

Editor: This is Max Beckmann's "Reclining Woman with Fishnet Stockings." It's an ink and pencil drawing on paper. There's something really vulnerable yet powerful about her pose; almost defiant in its sensuality. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Beckmann created this drawing within a context of significant social upheaval. The Weimar Republic in Germany was marked by economic instability and evolving ideas about sexuality. This woman, reclining so openly, is not simply an object of the male gaze. The fishnet stockings become symbolic of a negotiation, even a confrontation, with societal expectations. Consider the political climate – what statement might Beckmann be making about women and their autonomy in this era? Editor: I see what you mean. The details, like the fishnets, almost feel like armor. But, it is still a drawing of a nude woman, how autonomous is she really? Curator: Exactly, and there's a critical tension there. The "armor" you noticed emphasizes both the display and the woman's presence, perhaps implying a critique of objectification while simultaneously engaging with it. We must grapple with whether Beckmann reinforces or challenges existing power structures. The choice of the word “Liegende” or reclining, places her in a lineage of odalisques of the old masters while upending those established, male narratives. Do you feel she meets the viewer’s gaze or averts it? What might that say about the interaction? Editor: It seems she is glancing up, but she is far from submissive. It's made me rethink the nuances of how female representation intersects with agency and power. Curator: And that critical awareness is exactly what socially engaged art analysis strives for. We have to remain critical, self-reflexive, and always historically grounded. Editor: Definitely something to keep in mind moving forward!