Gesellschaft (Society)
Max Beckmann, German, 1884 - 1950
1918
Drypoint on wove paper
Plate: 10 1/4 × 12 5/8 in. (26 × 32 cm)
Sheet: 12 9/16 × 19 7/8 in. (31.9 × 50.5 cm)
Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth: Gift of Susan E. Hardy, Nancy R. Wilsker, Sarah A. Stahl, and John S. Stahl in memory of their parents Barbara J. and David G. Stahl, Class of 1947
2014.73.60
Publisher
J. B. Neumann, Berlin
Geography
Place Made: Germany, Europe
Period
20th century
Object Name
Research Area
Not on view
Inscriptions
Signed, lower right, in graphite: Beckmann; inscribed, lower right edge, in graphite: [illeg.]; inscribed, lower right corner, in graphite: R29224
Course History
HUM 1, Dialogues with the Classics, Paul Carranza, Caroline Dever, Andrea Tarnowski, Timothy Pulju, Fall 2015
German Club, Winter 2019
GERM 03, Intermediate German, Klaus Mladek and Lisa Oberberger, Spring 2020
GERM 03, Intermediate German, Klaus Mladek and Lisa Oberberger, Spring 2020
GERM 003, Intermediate German, Lisa Oberberger, Fall 2020
GERM 003, Intermediate German, Lisa Oberberger, Fall 2020
GERM 03, Intermediate German, Lisa Oberberger, Winter 2021
GERM 03, Intermediate German, Lisa Oberberger, Spring 2021
GERM 03, Intermediate German, Klaus Mladek and Lisa Oberberger, Spring 2021
GERM 10.06, A Visual History of Germany, Heidi Denzel, Winter 2022
GERM 7.07, Babylon Berlin, Veronika Fuechtner, Spring 2022
German 10.06, A Visual History of Germany, Heidi Denzel, Winter 2024
German 3.02, Introductory German (cont.), Heidi Denzel, Spring 2024
Exhibition History
Beckmann was a prolific printmaker, producing over 350 during his lifetime, the majority between 1915 and 1923. Here, the figures are crowded together in the shallow space, barely acknowledging each other. The fish (bottom left) and the mask (top right) were frequent themes in Beckmann’s work. The fish may refer to Christ, or to fertility and regeneration. The mask, along with veils and blindfolds, suggests hidden meanings or identities, perhaps used to shield oneself from reality. In 1918, Germany was trying to recover from the trauma and suffering of World War I. Beckmann had seen this first hand—serving briefly at the front in the medical corps. After the war Beckmann often used his art to criticize the alienation and violence pervading German society.
Recent Acquisition: The Stahl Collection of European and American Art, Ivan Albright Gallery, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, August 1-December 7, 2015.
Provenance
Collected by Barbara Jaffe Stahl (1930-2004) and David Gerald Stahl (1926-2013), Manchester, New Hampshire; bequeathed to their children Susan E. Hardy, Nancy R. Wilsker, Sarah A. Stahl and John S. Stahl, 2013; given to present collection, 2014.
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