Figur aus einer Tür tretend (Figure Stepping through a Door) [p. 23] 

Editor: This is a Max Beckmann drawing, a page from a sketchbook entitled "Figur aus einer Tür tretend", or "Figure Stepping Through a Door". It's such a quick sketch, just a few lines, but the figure seems almost caught in motion. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's interesting you see it that way. Beckmann, particularly within the context of German Expressionism, often used figures to represent psychological states and societal anxieties. Given the turbulent social and political climate of the time, it might be relevant to consider whether this "door" is metaphorical. Is it a transition? Or a barrier? Editor: That's a compelling thought! So the door might not be a literal door at all. Could it represent a shift in the political landscape perhaps? Curator: Precisely. Post-World War I Germany was experiencing radical shifts in its social fabric. Artists grappled with disillusionment and a sense of unease about the future. Beckmann, alongside other Expressionists, used fragmented forms and distorted perspectives to convey these feelings. The sketch being in a sketchbook suggests a personal reflection, an immediate reaction to those events. What do you make of that? Editor: I see what you mean, a rawness and immediacy in capturing those feelings. And perhaps the sketch form allows for a more experimental or vulnerable expression than a finished painting might. It feels more like a glimpse into the artist’s thought process. Curator: Yes. And sketchbooks in general have an interesting public life, precisely for what they show of that vulnerability and creative process. Now we see exhibitions built around them, allowing viewers a rare point of connection to a particular time or state of mind. So its political value lies partly in that rare level of access. Editor: I never considered how sketchbooks can give us that type of access! Thanks so much. Curator: My pleasure. It’s been insightful to consider Beckmann’s sketch and the historical backdrop together.