älterer Mann mit Schnurrbart (Elderly Man with Moustache) [p. 17] 

Curator: There's a raw immediacy to this work by Max Beckmann, entitled "Elderly Man with Moustache." It seems to capture a fleeting moment with remarkable economy of line. Editor: I agree. My immediate impression is of a study in contrasts – light and shadow dancing across the face. The stark graphite against the paper creates an almost melancholic atmosphere. Curator: The sketch reminds me of the post-WWI era. Beckmann and his peers were processing immense societal shifts and personal trauma. Considering his own service in WWI, it seems fair to consider themes of aging, decline, and the changing face of masculinity, so to speak, may appear more explicitly as his career progressed, don’t you think? Editor: Precisely. He captures a sort of essence through distortion. Look at the oversized eye, and that sharply defined nose that’s almost its own graphic sign. There’s something both humorous and unnerving about it. The cross-hatching technique seems so quick yet conveys so much about the subject. Curator: I find the rapid gestures telling. Considering German Expressionism's emphasis on raw, unbridled emotion, there is almost certainly more than meets the eye at first glance, in terms of a social context. I almost want to label him a member of the *ancien regime*. It's probably overly romanticized, but can't you feel it in his rigid moustasche? Editor: The lack of embellishment adds to that stark realism. A highly concentrated visual record! It gives such personality without the necessity of detailed shading or intricate details. This reduction makes the man more accessible. It could be almost anyone’s grandfather. Curator: Ultimately, it brings us face-to-face, figuratively, with the idea of confronting one's own aging process and contemplating our individual impact upon societal transformation, whether intentional or not. Editor: For me, this piece demonstrates the immense power of simplification. In essence, Beckmann offers us so much depth in only a few well-considered strokes.