Wardrobe c. 20th century

Editor: This is Max Beckmann’s "Wardrobe." It’s undated, but currently resides at the Harvard Art Museums. The etching feels theatrical, even a bit melancholic. What do you see in the symbolism here? Curator: Note the figures—a woman adorned, perhaps preparing for a role, and a man, seemingly contemplative. The wardrobe itself, then, becomes a charged space, a liminal zone. Does it suggest transformation or concealment, performance or genuine emotion? Editor: That’s interesting. So the "wardrobe" is a symbol for something beyond just clothes? Curator: Precisely. Beckmann uses it to explore the performative aspects of identity. Consider the woman's elaborate costume against the man's apparent weariness. Are they trapped by their roles? Editor: It feels like a window into the artist's psyche, using universal symbols. Curator: Indeed. The personal and the archetypal intertwine. We are all actors in our own lives, aren't we?