Max Beckmann & America

Max Beckmann (1884 1950) moved to the United States in the late summer of 1947. He would spend the last three years of his life far away from Europe, years that signified a liberating, intense new start for him. The vastness of the foreign continent, its coasts, the atmosphere of its wild landscapes, and its big cities all formed a palpable source of inspiration for Beckmann, who had never before had this type of physical experience of space. Working with incredible energy and productivity, Beckmann produced numerous major works in these few short years. From today s perspective, Beckmann s independence is all the more impressive when seen in relation to the development of abstract art that was taking place in America at the same time. Beckmann retained his link to representationalism and its metaphorical themes, yet still managed to assert himself as a European painter of international status.