Max Beckmann:

1
Max Beckmann
German Expressionism
at its best
by Elke and Uschi
2
The Beckmann History

• Max Beckmann - born on February 12, 1884 in
  Leipzig
• His father Carl Heinrich Christian Beckmann -a
  flour merchant
• His mother -Antoinette Henriette Bertha -came
  from money
• The youngest of three with a brother, Richard,
  and a sister, Margarethe

3
Childhood life

• Between the ages of eight and ten, Beckmann lived
  with his sister -fifteen years older than he -to
  attend school at Falkenburg in Pomerania.
• Beckmann loses his father in 1894 and moves with
  his mother and brother to Brunswick to reside
  with relatives.
• Max and Richard attend school in Brunswick,
  Königslutter and boarding school in Gandershein
  until 1899
• Beckmann begins drawing

4
Sorrow seeps into Beckmann's life
-In 1906 Max loses his mother to cancer. At
this point he paints "Great Scene of Death"
5
Minna Tube
Shortly following the death of his mother,
Beckmann marries, for the first time, on
September 21, 1906. In 1907 they build a home in
Hermsdorf. In 1908 his son, Peter, is born.
6
The Sinking of the Titanic 1912
Declaration of War 1914
7

World War I

• At the initial outbreak of the war Beckmann is
  vacationing with his family
• In 1915 Beckmann volunteers for service
• Service is for the medical corps -he heads first
  for East Prussia

8
Impact on Beckmann's life
In 1917, Beckmann is released from military due
to mental breakdown
Max lived apart from Minna at this point
although they were still married
9
Artistic Impact

• Shift of works from impressionism to expressionism

10
Beckmann's second try at true love
While still married, Max falls in love with
Mathilde von Kaulbach The marry on the first of
September 1925 in Munich -the same year as his
divorce from Minna
11
1926-1935

• April 1926 one man exhibition of Beckmanns work
  in New York
• Same year Max loses his brother Richard
• During this time period Beckmann travels about
  Europe but finds a certain fancy for France
• He teaches art until 1935

12
"Entartete Kunst"
A Nazi exhibition of around 650 expressionist
painters This display was meant to shun the
artists and was shown first at Hitler's "Haus
der Deutschen Kunst" in Munich
Max and Quappi leave Germany on the opening day
of the exhibit July 19,1937
13
Family Portrait -1920
Death -1938
14
Beckmann's Later Years

• Max and Quappi burn their diaries in 1940
• 1942 Beckmanns are living in Paris and he
  receives a letter requesting his service in the
  German army he could not go because of a heart
  condition

15
Beckmann heads for New York

• The Beckmanns move to New York City in 1947
• On October 5, 1948 Max and his wife apply for
  U.S. citizenship
• In 1949 he gets a six year contract to teach at
  the Brooklyn Museum Art School

16
The end of a life...an impact to last an eternity
Max Beckmann died on December 27,1950 on
the corner of 61st street and Central Park West
of a heart attack.
He was on his way to see his 'Self Portrait in
Blue Jacket' on display at the Metropolitan
Museum of Modern Art.
17
Works Cited

• Selz, Peter Howard.Max Beckmann.The Museum of
  Modern Art, New York, NY.
• Sister Wendy Beckett.Max Beckmann and the
  Self.1997.Prestek-Verlag-Munich, NY.
• Max Beckmann Self Portrait in words.Edited by
  Buenger.1997.University of Chicago.
• http//fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/arts/artdegen/
  htm
• http//em.wikipedia.org/eiki/Max_Beckmann
• http//www.european-history.com/beckmann.html