Max Beckmann

Artist Max Beckmann was born in Germany in 1884 and was one of the most important German painters of the twentieth century. His work is characterised by his use of the human figure as a powerful symbolic device to explore the psychological effects of war and the instability of modern life.

His outlook on life and art changed due to his experience of the First and Second World Wars and its aftermath. Beckmann served in the Medical Corps of the German army where he was faced with horrifically injured and dying people. Discharged from the army due to his own ill health in 1915, he moved to Frankfurt where his art moved towards a new realist tendency, borrowing from the aesthetic qualities of Expressionism.

Beckmann's paintings are often dense, narrative, and allegorical, conveying intense emotion, vulnerability, and underlying power struggles. Beckmann frequently depicted figures in motion such as athletes, circus performers, and crowded urban scenes to represent conflict, endurance, and survival. Beckmann’s use of overlapping forms and harsh, angular lines heighten a sense of tension and struggle, with his expressive mark-making further enhancing the dynamism of the compositions. Even in seemingly light or playful subjects, such as performers, there is an unsettling mood that suggests a feeling of unease. Through motifs like contact sports, including rugby and wrestling, Beckmann emphasises themes of physical endurance and the human condition, presenting bodies that are entangled and distorted to convey both conflict and resilience.

After the Nazi's came to power in the 1930s Beckmann chose to leave Germany, emigrating first to Amsterdam, where he saw out the end of the Second World War, and then to the United States where he lived from 1947.

Explore & Respond

  • ideas, practices, works and contexts for the arts in the lives of individuals and groups across cultures, times, places and communities 
  • the diversity of how, where and why people create, make, perform, present and respond across arts forms, and the roles that the arts play in lives, cultures and communities 
  • ways in which the arts communicate cultural and aesthetic knowledge, purpose, meaning and emotion  
  • ways in which the arts develop empathy and understanding of multiple perspectives, across personal, local, regional, national and global contexts. 

Developing practices and skills

  • creative skills for using and manipulating the elements, principles, conventions and/or processes of arts forms 
  • using available materials and technologies to develop and communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning 
  • critical skills in observing, reflecting, analysing, evaluating and/or documenting their own and others’ arts-making practices, using language and/or embodied practices. 

Creating and Making

  • individual and/or collaborative work using available resources/materials in diverse existing, emerging and innovative forms, styles and/or genres  
  • new work, which may be refined and realised, or may be presented as a work in progress  
  • interpretations of work created by others and interpretations of their own work as performers; interpreting involves informed observation, analysis, reflection and evaluation. 

Presenting and Performing

  • share their work using available spaces, materials, technologies and/or digital tools   
  • plan, select, design and rehearse their presentations and performances  

Art Elements

  • Colour

Colour is the range of visible light. Colour can be seen when light strikes an object. The light is then reflected into the human eye, from there a message is sent to the brain and the information is processed and interpreted – telling us what colour we see.

Colour can be broken down into three parts: hue, which is colour in its purest form; intensity, which is the vividness of a colour; tone or value, which relates to light or darkness of a colour.

Different values are created by tints and shades. A tint is created when white is added to a colour, while a shade is created when black is added to a colour.

Some colours are known as ‘warm’ colours and some colours are ‘cool’. Which colours would be cool? What do these colours remind you of?

Complementary colours are those opposite each other on the colour wheel.

Harmonious or (analogous) colours are next to each other on the colour wheel.

A monochromatic colour palette consists of variations (tints and shades) of one colour.

  • Shape

A shape is formed when two points of a line meet, enclosing the space. Geometric shapes consist of squares, triangles, circles and cylinders.

Organic shapes are generally irregular and are found in nature and include things like plants and animals.

  • Line

A line is a mark that spans a distance between two points. A line can be thick, thin, straight or curved. It can also change direction or overlap with other lines and be zigzagged and cross-hatched.

Art Principles

  • Pattern

Pattern is concerned with seeing connections and identifying links. We see patterns in nature and experience patterns during our daily routines. Pattern is also used in art. When an artist repeats a particular mark, colour or shape, a pattern becomes obvious.

We can also look for patterns across the work of different artists or by examining a single artist’s work over a period of time; patterns might appear in the materials they use or the themes they respond to.

  • Movement

Artists sometimes create a sense of movement in works of art by arranging shapes, line, colour, texture or pattern, or even objects or figures. Movement is sometimes created by rhythm, that is, the repetition of similar elements. Rhythm and movement can help to direct your eye through a composition.

  • Contrast

The use of contrast emphasises the difference between art elements, for example, dark and light values (black and white), or two complementary colours (colours opposite on the colour wheel), a rough and smooth texture or organic and geometric shapes. Contrasting elements can help to create a focal point in a work of art, drawing the viewer’s attention to a particular area of the composition.

  • Proportion and scale

Proportion and scale relate to the size of an object, element or figure. Scale relates to the size of an object or person compared with other objects or people in the same work of art. For example, when we paint a picture of a person outside their home, the person, if the picture was to scale, shouldn’t be bigger than the house.

Proportion is similar but it relates to the size of the various parts by comparison with other parts in one object or figure. Proportion is easily understood when we consider the human body. Our arms don’t usually extend to the ground – our hands rest somewhere around our waist. While the sizes of arms, legs and heads differ slightly between people, there is a general limit to what we would recognise as being human.

The Trapeze

The Trapeze (1923) demonstrates Beckmann’s approach to representing modern life through symbolic imagery. Created in Frankfurt in the early 1920s, this work belongs to a broader series in which Beckmann turned his attention to circus and carnival performers figures who existed on the fringes of urban society. Rather than presenting these performers as entertainers alone, Beckmann transforms them into complex symbols of human behaviour, reflecting the uncertainty and instability of the post First World War era. In The Trapeze, a tightly packed group of acrobats is arranged within a narrow, vertical space that feels compressed and stage-like, suggesting both performance and confinement.

The composition is highly theatrical, with elaborately costumed figures poised on a trapeze-like structure, yet their stillness and lack of interaction create a sense of distance. Beckmann heightens this atmosphere of unease through the use of contrasting colours and sharply defined forms, which intensify the visual tension within the scene. The figures appear both connected and isolated, emphasising themes of fragility and endurance. The inverted acrobat, often interpreted as a self-portrait, draws the viewer’s attention and reflects Beckmann’s conception of the artist as a risk-taker, balancing precariously between spectacle and introspection.

Watch The mad square: Prof Dr Carla Schulz-Hoffmann on Max Beckmann, AGNSW

Max Beckmann, born Leipzig, Germany 1884, died New York, United States 1950, The beggars (Die bettler), plate 7 from the series Trip to Berlin (Berliner Reise), 1922, Berlin, lithograph on paper, 46.5 x 33.5 cm (image), 68.5 x 53.5 cm (sheet); V.B.F. Young Bequest Fund 2011, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.

In AGSA's Collection - The Beggars

This lithograph titled The Beggars is from Beckmann's series Trip to Berlin, 1922. The series resulted from a visit he made to Berlin in early 1922, three years after the Berlin Revolution of 1919. The plates reveal a city that has emerged from a state of chaos and social collapse, to one where people are disillusioned and "...quietly resigned to their fates."

In this plate the ill-assorted group of beggars, though clustered together around the central organ grinder, each stare into the distance lost in their own thoughts. The man on the right is enigmatic - he appears to be a passerby, yet with his walking stick and wooden leg, he too is embroiled in the aftermath of war. As seen in this work, Beckmann's post-war style is characterised by dispensing with traditional perspective, distorting the figures and compressing them in a shallow space, to create a claustrophobic sense of entrapment in their destiny.

  • The vertical space and stage-like composition of The Trapeze suggests performance and confinement. What political or social statement might Beckmann have been making reference to here?
  • List 5 words to describe this work. Consider colour, composition and emotion.
  • Who has the power in this work? Is there a figure that appears in control or one which appears more vulnerable? What does their body language suggest?
  • Compare The Trapeze with other works by Beckmann such as Rugby Players (1928), Carnival (1920), Self Variety Show (1921) and Two Circus Artists or Snake Charmer and Clown (1948). Assign a different work to small groups and discuss the following:
    • What is happening in this scene?
    • What can you see in the background and foreground?
    • Does this work feel chaotic or calm?
    • Where can you identify exaggerated poses or facial expressions?
    • What is the focal point?
    • What colour scheme or other visual devices has Beckmann used?
    • Collectively as a class, have you noticed any patterns emerging about this selection of Beckmann's work?
  • Look at Beckmann's Self portrait as a clown (1921).
    • Why would an artist paint themselves as a clown?
    • What do his facial expressions tell us about his mood?
    • What do you think the clown is thinking?
    • How can clothing help tell a story about someone?
  • Respond to The Trapeze with your body.
    • Recreate this scene using your body. How do you feel in this position?
    • Now use your body to respond to the following words. (Call these words out and give students 5-10 seconds to change their positions):
      • Isolation
      • Survival
      • Confine
      • Perform
      • Tight
      • Loose
      • Contrast
      • Contorted
      • Stretched

With a focus on works such as The Trapeze and Carnival, create your own circus or sporting figures in 2D or 3D media.

  • Watch a game of football, soccer, netball or a dance performance. You might be able to watch it live in your school community or if not, watch a match or performance on the TV. As you watch, create a series of quick blind contour drawings. Don’t be precious about the rapid marks you make, instead focus on capturing the energy, movement and spirit of the athlete or performer.
  • Source images of your favourite AFL or sporting players showing dynamic movements. Create a collage that suggests a narrative (e.g. action or outcome).
  • Draw from real life, sports images, dancers, and cabaret performers. Take it in turns to pose like athletes or performers and undertake 30 second gesture drawings of these different poses. You might like to make your own pose and have a friend photograph this so that you can use it as a reference image for a longer drawing or watercolour painting.
  • Create a large collaborative drawing as a class. Using large cardboard draw around each student while they re-create a dynamic pose. Paint these cardboard cutouts using muted colours and bold black outlines. Install your figures as one large overlapping group composition. Play with scale and spatial arrangement.
Moving Paper Figures
Activity in Focus

Classroom Preparation

In preparing for a unit of work looking at Beckmann, introduce students to drawing figures. This could include a variety of methods such as:

  • introduction to proportions and scale
  • create a series of figure sketching including blind contour drawings as well as loose and gestural drawings of figures in movement (sport/dance etc).
  • using photographs as reference for drawings. These could be photographs of themselves responding to the movement prompts in the 'respond and interpret' activities above.

Take a look at our 'Guide to using artists as a starting point' flowchart to see our approach to responding to Beckmann. Here we prioritised key themes and ideas rather than copying Beckmann's paintings.

Download Flowchart>>

Activity

Make a moving paper character using split pins to create movement. This character could be inspired by your favourite athlete or performer. Decorate your figure's costume or uniform using bold colour and pattern. Join your figure's limbs together using split pins.

Take a series of photographs exploring a range of movements with your character. Use these photographs to create an animation. You could pair up with another student in the class and see how your figures can perform together.

Painting to Performance
Activity in Focus

Using words as prompts students will respond to The Trapeze, independently and in groups. Depending on the age of your students this activity could be taught as a one lesson response to a work of art or developed into a two week unit of work developing a more complex composition along with researching and selecting a suitable instrumental soundtrack.

Tip: Choosing contemporary music or music familiar to students can influence and distract students from the main task which is exploring movement in repsonse to a visual prompt.

F-2

  • becomeaware of their bodies and learn about the body bases, parts and zones used in dance
  • explore space, time, dynamics and relationships as they make and observe dances
  • explore locomotor and non-locomotor movements and use these fundamental movement skills in their own dance
  • experimentwith simple technical and expressive skills and begin to learn about choreographic devices through selecting and organising movements in their own dances.

Years 3-4

  • extend their awareness of the body as they incorporate actions using different body parts, body zones and bases
  • explore and experiment with directions, time, dynamics and relationships using groupings, objects and props
  • extend their fundamental movement skills by adding and combining more complex movements
  • use technical skills including accuracy and awareness of body alignment
  • explore meaning and interpretation, elements and forms including shapes and sequences of dances as they make and respond to dance
  • use expressive skills including projection and focus when performing dance for themselves and others.

Year 5 – 6

  • extend their awareness of the body as they combine movements that use body parts and actions with those involving body zones and bases
  • extend their understanding and use of space, time, dynamics and relationships including performing in groups of varying sizes
  • extend their use of various combinations of fundamental movement skills and technical skills, developing competence, body control and accuracy
  • explore meaning and interpretation, forms and elements of dance, including the use of space and energy in dances as they make and respond to dance.

Getting started in the classroom

Look at the work and discuss what you see/feel. Make a list of words that describe this work. Teacher Tip: You may like to include the following words to your list - through, over, under, around, small, big, twist, fold, swing, pull, lift, open, close, reach.

Initial response (Solo)

Using these words students will respond to The Trapeze. Call out one word at a time allowing 1 minute for each word to be improvised, explored and developed into movement ideas. Encourage students to use their whole body, just like the acrobats in the painting.

You may like to play instrumental music of the era during this exercise. As mentioned above this could be an extension component depending on the age of the students and length of the lesson or unit.

Working together (Group work)

In groups (3-5 people), explore the idea of ‘being connected’.

  • Stay connected by holding hands. Each student will select two different words from the previous list.
  • Together as a group respond to these words – but without letting go! You may find one person moves at a time, or initiates the direction and movement of the others in the group. Make sure to take turns in who leads the group. How well do students communicate and problem solve together?
  • Create a 1 minute movement sequence as a group exploring at least 5 chosen words, remember to stay connected the whole time. Consider repetition of movement to meet the one minute requirement. Present your performance to the class.

Extension ideas

  • Examine how Beckmann has painted the acrobats almost as if they are in a confined, vertical and narrow space.
  • Taking it in turns, one group at a time is challenged to perform their movement piece while other students confine them. This could mean students hold hands and create a physical barrier (circle or square or rectangle). These students will restricts the group inside the barrier as they attempt to perform their movement.
  • Question for inside students: How did you adapt or change your movement to fit into the space? How did you react with the barrier to execute their movement? Did the barrier exaggerate your movement to overspill and move around the barrier people?

Solo Experiementation

Independently execute the same movement you performed in your group. Adapt and change your movement thinking about the dance elements of space e.g. travelling and levels. Play with the ideas with your own body parts instead of other peoples. What connections can you make within your own body?