Beckmann Sketchbook 7 c. 1914 - 1920

This is Max Beckmann's Sketchbook 7. It's undated, and its pages are just 16.2 x 10 cm. Think of him, tucked away somewhere, pulling this small book from his pocket, ready to record thoughts and observations. I love the intimacy of a sketchbook, the way it captures an artist's unfiltered thoughts. What was Beckmann thinking as he carried this around? Did he have to remind himself to record things? What spills out on the pages inside? Looking at the used cover, you can almost feel the weight of his hand, the pressure of the pencil, the quiet hum of his thoughts. It's a portal to his creative process, a testament to the power of simple, unadorned mark-making. Sketchbooks are kind of like secret gardens where ideas bloom. I like to imagine Beckmann walking around with it, always ready to capture the world as he saw it, and he has influenced so many others, like Picasso and Francis Bacon. Artists are in ongoing conversations, with a constant exchange of ideas, inspiring each other’s creativity.