BECKMANN, MAX
* 12.2.1884 Leipzig, † 27.12.1950 New York City
Max Beckmann was born in Leipzig on 12 February 1884. From 1900 to 1903, he studied at the Grand Ducal School of Art in Weimar. In Paris he was influenced by the paintings of Paul Cézanne and in Berlin by German Impressionism. In 1905, he married the painter Minna Tube, with whom he had a son. In 1906, he received an honorary award from the German Artists' Association, which came with a residential scholarship at the Villa Romana in Florence. At the beginning of the First World War, Beckmann volunteered as a medical orderly. The traumatic experiences of war led to a mental breakdown and a leave of absence. As a result of those experiences, Beckmann's style became simpler, but also more angular, expressive and socially critical. His densely packed, animated figural compositions, with an exaggerated sharp-edged and angular style, became characteristic of his work. In terms of content, Beckmann’s statements became increasingly complex and esoteric and can hardly be understood without knowledge of the sources he drew on (Kabbalah, Gnosis). His artistic breakthrough came when his work began to be exhibited around the world in the 1920s.
n 1925, Beckmann married his second wife Mathilde von Kaulbach, known as Quappi, who became one of the most portrayed women in art history. In the same year, Beckmann taught a masterclass at the Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main and became an exponent of New Objectivity. His fame in Germany reached its peak in 1928 and 1929 with the Reich Prize of Honour for German Art and the gold medal awarded by the city of Düsseldorf. When the National Socialists seized power in 1933, Max Beckmann lost his job. In 1937, 647 of his works were confiscated and vilified as degenerate art. As a result, Beckmann emigrated to Amsterdam, where he lived in precarious circumstances. In 1947, he moved to the United States and taught at Washington University. There, Beckmann was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1950. Max Beckmann, painter, graphic artist, sculptor, author and university lecturer, died of heart failure on 27 December 1950 in New York. He was one of the great masters of modernism and is recognised as a powerful commentator on the world and his time.
Works by this artist from our auctions
Following are some examples of works by this artist from our past and future auctions.We are always accepting consignments for our auctions. Share in our success – contact us today for a no-obligations auction estimate.
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 750 000 / 950 000 | (€ 773 200 / 979 380)
Sold for CHF 1 055 000 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 400 000 / 700 000 | (€ 412 370 / 721 650)
Sold for CHF 503 500 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 8 000 / 12 000 | (€ 8 250 / 12 370)
Sold for CHF 16 800 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 4 500 / 5 500 | (€ 4 640 / 5 670)
Sold for CHF 12 960 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 2 500 / 4 000 | (€ 2 580 / 4 120)
Sold for CHF 4 200 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 1 500 / 2 500 | (€ 1 550 / 2 580)
Sold for CHF 3 600 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 1 200 / 1 800 | (€ 1 240 / 1 860)
Sold for CHF 2 250 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 1 500 / 2 500 | (€ 1 550 / 2 580)
Sold for CHF 2 040 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 1 400 / 1 800 | (€ 1 440 / 1 860)
Sold for CHF 1 800 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 1 200 / 1 800 | (€ 1 240 / 1 860)
Sold for CHF 1 500 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 1 600 / 2 200 | (€ 1 650 / 2 270)
Sold for CHF 1 500 (including buyer’s premium)
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MAX BECKMANN
CHF 1 500 / 2 000 | (€ 1 550 / 2 060)
Sold for CHF 1 000 (including buyer’s premium)
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