Portrait of 'Frau H.M.' (Naila)
192320th Century
15 1/2 in. x 13 1/2 in. (39.37 cm x 34.29 cm)
Max Beckmann, German, (1884–1950)
Object Type:
Works on Paper
Creation Place:
Europe, Germany
Medium and Support:
Woodcut print on paper
Credit Line:
Museum Purchase, Susan L. Mills Fund
Accession Number:
1940.96
Max Beckmann, a skilled portrait artist, made this work in 1923 while living in Germany, before his art was labeled as “degenerate” by Hitler and the Nazi Party. Yet, Beckmann’s early work is still influenced by trauma and anxiety. Serving as a medical officer during WWI, Beckmann was scarred by the terror he witnessed, which can be seen in his own work as well as the artists he influenced. Beckmann’s Portrait of ‘Frau H.M.’ is made up of sketch-like lines, making the figure seem less solid, giving off a more anxious air. Beckmann eventually moved to the United States to teach at various institutions, including at Mills College during the summer of 1950. While Beckmann skillfully portrays everyday people and objects, he depicts much more than that: he is showing human emotion and anxiety through the lens of reality.
--Eva Goldstein-Moore, December 2017
--Eva Goldstein-Moore, December 2017
Exhibition List
This object was included in the following exhibitions:
- California Paintings of the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries Mills College Art Museum , 3/24/1963 - 4/14/1963
- Visiting Artists at Mills Mills College Art Gallery , 3/17/1981 - 4/5/1981
- The Summer Sessions 1933-1952: Visiting Artists at the Mills College Art Museum Mills College Art Museum , 6/15/2011 - 8/28/2011
- Anxious States: Expressionism from Gauguin to Oliveira Mills College Art Museum , 12/6/2017 - 5/27/2018
Dimensions
- Image Dimensions: 15 1/2 x 13 1/2 in. (39.37 x 34.29 cm)
- Sheet Dimensions: 20 1/2 in. (52.07 cm)
- Mat Dimensions: 30 in. x 24 in. (76.2 cm x 60.96 cm)
Bibliography List
This object has the following bibliographic references:
- Stephanie Hanor, ed. The Summer Sessions 1933-1952: Visiting Artists at the Mills College Art Museum. The Summer Sessions 1933-1952: Visiting Artists at the Mills College Art Museum Mills College Art Museum. Oakland, CA, 2011
- Stephanie Hanor, ed. Anxious States: Expressionism from Gauguin to Oliveira . Anxious States: Expressionism from Gauguin to Oliveira Mills College Art Museum. Oakland, CA, 2017
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