Mädchenbildnis im Profil (Girl in Profile) [p. 11] 

Editor: This is Max Beckmann's pencil drawing, "Girl in Profile". There isn't a date, which is interesting in itself. It has a delicate, almost ephemeral quality despite the definite lines. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: I see a confluence of social anxieties and emerging modern identities. The starkness of the pencil on paper, the unfinished quality – it speaks to a world in flux. Notice how the girl’s profile is sharp, almost confrontational, yet her eyes are downcast. How do you interpret that tension? Editor: Perhaps she's caught between tradition and modernity? The bob haircut was a very modern style at that time, a symbol of women liberation. Curator: Exactly. Consider the socio-political context of the early 20th century in Germany. Expressionism was grappling with rapid industrialization, urbanization, and the changing roles of women. This portrait encapsulates that struggle. What about the line work? Does it remind you of anything? Editor: It feels urgent, almost anxious, definitely expressive and I see some abstraction! Curator: Beckmann uses line not just to depict, but to evoke emotion. The unfinished quality invites us to complete the story, to consider the complexities of female identity in a rapidly changing world. Does it shift how you understand her gaze? Editor: It does. It's less passive, more like a conscious turning away, maybe even defiance. I never thought that such a simple sketch could carry so much historical weight and nuance. Curator: Art is never created in a vacuum. It’s in constant dialogue with its time, with us, and with the possibilities for a different future.