Zwei Männer, der vordere im Profil (Two Men, one in Profile) [p. 21]
1876 to 1900
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
page size: 13.1 x 9.5 cm (5 3/16 x 3 3/4 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Max Beckmann
Accession Number
1984.64.52.7
Art Historical Context
Max Beckmann's *Zwei Männer, der vordere im (Two Men, one in Profile)* [p. 21] captures two figures in a intimate, preparatory sketch, with the foreground man turned in profile. Created between 1876 and 1900, this modest drawing offers a glimpse into the early development of Beckmann, who would later become a towering figure in German Expressionism. Though dated to his youth—Beckmann was born in 1884 work reflects the meticulous observation skills that defined his lifelong practice, blending realism with psychological depth. Executed in graphite on wove paper, the piece measures just 13.1 x 9...
About the Artist
Max Beckmann
Max Carl Friedrich Beckmann (1884-1950) stands as one of the most significant German painters of the twentieth century, a complex artist who bridged Expressionism and the New Objectivity while forging a deeply personal visual language. Born in Leipzig into a middle-class family, Beckmann's artistic journey spanned from academic classicism through the traumatic crucible of World War I to a mature s...