Quappi, Patience legend 1926

Max Beckmann made this drawing, "Quappi, Patience legend" using pencil, at an unknown date. The way the pencil lines build up is fascinating; a kind of quiet layering creates shadows and shapes. It's like Beckmann is thinking through the form, one stroke at a time. You can see it particularly in the rendering of the jacket, and her hair. Look at the way Beckmann uses hatching to give Quappi's jacket volume, and how those lines move and change direction to follow the curves of her body. It’s not just about describing what’s there, but also about feeling the weight and presence of a person. Beckmann's work sometimes reminds me of Picasso, in that there’s a similar sense of deconstruction and reassembly of form. But while Picasso can be all jagged edges and wild energy, Beckmann has this reserved, almost stoic quality. It shows that art is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time, and that ambiguity can be a great strength.