Liebespaar I

Etching and drypoint. Signed and dated in pencil.

Extremely rare artist's proof, II state on 2 A/C variant, before the editions Marées-Gesellschaft R. Piper & C . Printed in1919 by Franx Hanfstaengl in Munich for the suite “ Gesichter ”. Printed on fine paper showing the watermark “Lion and Denticular Wheel with letters OOSD and date 1597”. Wide uncut margins, minor tears on left margin outside the print. Very small fold on margin. Generally good conditions, including ivory colored passepartout.

Max Beckmann (1884-1950), known for his self-portraits whose intensity was rivaled only by those of Rembrandt and Picasso, was a German artist, usually classified as Expressionist , although he always rejected this label. At the end of the 1910s, years that mark the beginning of his successful career, he made Liebespaar I (Lovers) (the first of a series of two). In these years, he stayed in touch with the Fauves, from whom he acquired his signature violent palette of colors and Expressionist deformation of bodies. He intended to depict the social myths of the modern world, and drew inspiration from Joyce and Dos Passos. From the 1920s, he associated himself with the New Objectivity movement (Neue Sachlichkeit), which developed from Expressionism, and opposed its introverted emotionalism.

The German artist enjoyed a great success and official honors during the Weimar Republic. Suddenly his fortunes changed with the rise to power of the dictator Adolf Hitler. In 1933, Beckmann was accused of " cultural Bolshevism " by the Nazi-government and dismissed him from his teaching position at the Art School in Frankfurt. In 1937, more than five hundred of his works were confiscated from German museums, putting several on display in the notorious Degenerate Art exhibition in Munich in 1937. The day after Hitler's radio speech about degenerate art Beckmann left Germany for The Netherlands.

Reference:  Hofmaier, 88.