Max Beckmann (b. February 12, 1884 - d. December 1950) was a German painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, and writer. He was initially recognized for history paintings and portraits, dwelling on the Impressionist art movement. However, the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, and him enlisting for the medical corps shifted his course. During the interwar period, Beckmann’s works reflected the gloom and cynicism of the Weimar Republic, creating artworks that show the chaos of the interwar period. During the same time, Beckmann also dwelled on etching and lithography, producing black-and-white print portfolios which featured the devastation of war.

With the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s, Beckmann’s works became more explicitly horrifying. The Nazis began to attack him and his works, classifying them as “degenerate art.” His teaching position at the Stadel Art School was revoked while his paintings were removed from the Berlin National Gallery. As a response, Beckmann began to paint darker themes, as exemplified by his triptych Departure (1932-1935). In 1937, he left Germany in exile to Amsterdam, where he lived during the Second World War. He continued to be prolific in exile, painting almost 200 works throughout. After the war, Beckmann immigrated to the United States where he would resume his teaching profession; though his career there would not last long as he would die of a heart attack three years later in December 1950.

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