drei zu Tisch sitzende Frauen (Three at a Table) [p. 45] 1927

Max Beckmann made this drawing, "Three at a Table," on a small page, probably in a sketchbook. Look at the marks he made with his pencil, how they search and feel around to find the forms of these women. I can imagine Beckmann in a cafe, quickly trying to capture the scene around him. It feels like he's grappling with the space between the figures, the air they occupy. There's a real tenderness in how he renders their faces, especially the woman in the center. The lines are tentative, as if he’s trying to understand her expression. It's a fleeting moment, captured with a beautiful sense of immediacy. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space. Beckmann reminds me of other artists like Kathe Kollwitz and Paula Modersohn-Becker. This little drawing isn't just a depiction of three women; it’s an invitation to think about the nature of drawing, and how the simplest of means can convey so much.