Zwei Akrobaten (Two Acrobats) [p. 24] 

Max Beckmann sketched "Zwei Akrobaten" or "Two Acrobats" in pencil on a page from a sketchbook of lined paper. Beckmann lived through both World Wars, an experience which deeply influenced his work and artistic identity. His figures often exist in a state of tension, their contorted forms and expressions reflecting the anxieties of the modern human condition. This drawing seems to capture such a moment, perhaps backstage. Two acrobats balance in a strange, intimate dance as they prepare to take the stage. Beckmann developed an artistic style that was deeply personal and symbolically rich, moving away from traditional representation to reflect the fragmented and often chaotic nature of modern life. How does this image speak to our own sense of the world? Does this image mirror something within us?