Beckmann, Max (1884-1950), a German artist, became known for his expressionistic images of brutality and terror. Beckmann’s works exhibit a harsh yet precise representation of the external world. At the same time, he distorted reality to intensify the symbolic content and emotional impact of his paintings. Beckmann’s most significant works include a number of self-portraits and a series of triptychs, which are paintings made up of three connecting panels.
Beckmann was born on Feb. 12, 1884, in Leipzig, Germany. He was deeply influenced by the violence and horror he observed while serving in the medical corps in 1914 and 1915 during World War I. During the 1920’s, Beckmann and German artists Otto Dix and George Grosz sought to create a more realistic style of art that would address social issues. The style became known as the New Objectivity. When the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, they labeled Beckmann a “degenerate artist” and stripped him of the teaching position he had held since 1925. In 1937, Beckmann fled to Amsterdam and lived there in hiding from the Nazis. In 1947, he moved to the United States, where he spent the rest of his life. Beckmann died on Dec. 27, 1950.
