Born February 12, 1884 in Leipzig, Beckmann was one of many German artists to be classified as degenerate in the 1930s as a result of Hitler and the Nazi’s hatred of modern art.
He personally disliked the concept of Expressionism, and did not want to be so classified, instead he joined with the New Objectivity movement. His work often feels stark and moody – provoking a sense of unease in the viewer. His later works amplified this tendency with more horrifying images, no doubt amplified by the socio-political situation in Germany at the time. Many of his works are self portraits, and these tend to be the most valuable.
This is: Self Portrait with Crystal Ball