männliche Bildnisstudie (Male Profile) [p. 40] 1944 - 1949

This is a male profile drawn by Max Beckmann. Beckmann made this drawing, like so many others, in Germany during a period of immense social upheaval. The First World War had ended, and German society was being reshaped by the trauma of defeat, the rise of communism, and the hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic. This drawing is striking, but in many ways typical of his work. It is a quick study, a sketch, not a finished painting. The man’s face is drawn with heavy, dark lines, with an economy of means, yet it perfectly captures a certain type. This image is part of the larger history of how artists represent the human face, and how those representations are shaped by the social and political contexts in which they are made. To understand Beckmann's work better, historians consult not only his paintings and drawings, but also letters, diaries, and the writings of his contemporaries. In this way we can understand art as something that is deeply intertwined with social and institutional contexts.