alter Mann mit Kneifer (Male Portrait) [p. 23] 

Editor: So here we have "alter Mann mit Kneifer", which translates to "Old Man with Pince-Nez", a pencil drawing by Max Beckmann. I find the raw, unfinished quality of the lines very striking, giving it a somewhat melancholic feel. What's your perspective on this piece? Curator: This pencil sketch is fascinating when considering Beckmann’s larger body of work. As a materialist, I’m interested in its creation. Why pencil? Why this paper? Was this a study for something larger? These are important questions. The “melancholy” you observe likely arises from the social and economic conditions of the Weimar Republic in which Beckmann was working. How did the scarcity of materials following the war impact his artistic choices and outputs? Editor: That’s a great point. The roughness could be less of an aesthetic choice and more a consequence of available materials and time constraints? Does the swiftness of the medium of pencil sketch provide immediacy compared to other means of portraiture? Curator: Exactly. This brings us closer to understanding the materiality of the piece. What kind of paper did he use? How would this cheap sketch paper be in reach of any artist in his social context, and how would using higher quality material shift its value, purpose, and the final aesthetic we see before us? Also, the hurried strokes are telling. Consider also that pencil as a medium allows for easy erasing, a sign of how many attempts made it into the finished form. Is it a disposable format for concept testing, or meant as a precious and final product? Editor: Interesting. So, seeing the materials themselves as an extension of the social and economic forces at play… It reframes the whole experience. Thanks for shedding light on this. Curator: Precisely! By examining the materials and their use, we move beyond simply appreciating the image, and start interrogating the broader context of its production.