Self-Portrait, Yawning - Max Beckmann

A 1918 drypoint print by Max Beckmann depicting the artist in a moment of physical and psychological exhaustion.

Max Beckmann produced this drypoint in 1918, shortly after his discharge from the German army during the First World War. The image depicts the artist with his mouth wide open in a yawn, though the expression carries a tension that borders on a scream. This work belongs to a period where Beckmann moved away from his earlier academic style toward a more distorted, angular approach. The physical act of yawning is rendered with aggressive, hatched lines that define the hollow of the mouth and the strained muscles of the face. The composition focuses entirely on the head, which appears to float against a scratched, atmospheric background. Beckmann utilised the drypoint technique to create burred, velvety blacks that contrast with the stark white of the paper. This method allowed for a directness of mark-making that suited the psychological state of his post-war subjects. The eyes are asymmetrical and weary, suggesting exhaustion rather than simple boredom. The drypoint process involves scratching directly into a metal plate with a hard-pointed needle. This creates a ridge of metal, known as a burr, which holds extra ink and produces the soft, blurred lines visible in this print. Beckmann used this technical characteristic to create the heavy shadows around the jaw and eyes. The lack of a defined collar or shoulders concentrates the viewer's attention on the distorted geometry of the face. During this time, Beckmann was associated with the New Objectivity movement in Germany. His prints from the late 1910s often document the disillusionment and physical toll of the war years. This self-portrait is one of several graphic works where he examined his own features to explore themes of identity and human suffering. The work remains a significant example of how German artists responded to the social and personal upheaval following the collapse of the German Empire.