Self-portrait - Max Beckmann

A 1946 lithograph by Max Beckmann from his Day and Dream portfolio. This self-portrait features the artist in a beret, rendered with bold hatching and expressive line work.

Max Beckmann produced this lithograph in 1946 as part of his portfolio titled Day and Dream. The series consists of fifteen lithographs created while the artist lived in Amsterdam. This specific print is the first plate in the set. It depicts the artist in a characteristic pose, wearing a dark beret and resting his hand near his face. The portfolio was commissioned by the New York art dealer Curt Valentin, who supported Beckmann during his years of displacement. The technique relies on dense hatching and cross-hatching. These lines create a sense of volume and physical presence without traditional tonal shading. The heavy black ink of the beret provides a solid anchor at the top of the composition. Beckmann uses a variety of line weights to define the textures of his skin and clothing. The space behind the figure contains scribbled horizontal lines that suggest a shallow interior. Beckmann was a prominent figure in German Expressionism and the New Objectivity movement. His work often explored themes of identity and the human condition through self-portraiture. He created more than eighty self-portraits during his career across various media. This 1946 version captures a mature artist after years of exile during the Second World War. The gaze is direct and steady, confronting the viewer with a blunt honesty. The print is signed in the lower right margin. It reflects the graphic style Beckmann developed in his later years, where bold outlines and compressed space dominate the frame. The composition is tight, focusing almost entirely on the head and shoulders of the subject. This lithograph is held in several major public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the British Museum in London. The work is a significant example of post-war graphic art from one of the most influential German artists of the twentieth century.