The Barker (Der Ausrufer) 1921

Max Beckmann made this intaglio print, called “The Barker,” using etched lines. I always wonder about the artist when I look at a piece like this. Here, Beckmann is working up a frenzy, marking the metal plate with furious energy to produce the image of the showman with his come-hither gaze. I can only imagine what he might have been thinking as he made this work: a mix of excitement and angst no doubt. It’s like he's daring us to step right up. Beckmann’s world is one of tension, filled with raw emotion. But then, isn’t that what all good art does? Beckmann, like other artists, invites us to enter his world, engage with his vision, and maybe, just maybe, find a piece of ourselves reflected back.