Max Beckmann

Lithograph, 1919, signed in pencil, titled 'Die Ideologen' and numbered 45/75, from the portfolio Die Hölle (Hell), on imitation Japan paper, with margins, in good condition except the lower sheet edge trimmed, with creases and a repaired vertical tear, foxing in the lower margin, verso, framed

The print is in good condition. The lower sheet edge is irregularly trimmed and there is a vertical repaired tear measuring 3/4 inch as well as some sharp vertical creases at the lower right corner. 3 additional repaired tears are located in the right sheet edge, the longest measuring 1/2 inch. The lower margin has a small stain on the recto and foxing on the verso, not showing through.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Beckmann depicts himself in the center of the print, eyes down-cast, hand over mouth and face darkened by an ominous shadow indicating the great disconnect and even disappointment he feels amidst the figures of his time. The Ideologists all clamor about beneath the podium from which Heinrich Mann, an activist and writer exiled from Germany in 1933, speaks: his arms bent at the elbows and palms directed towards his face in a pleading gesture of frustration. To the right, Carl Einstein, communist supporter and anarchist, gazes stoically through round framed glasses at the speaker while his purported consort, Countess Augusta Gräfin von Hagen, crosses her arms, eyes heaven-bound and a large crucifix about her neck indicating her pacifist stance. The other activists, including writers Annette Kolb and Max Hermann along with playwright Carl Sternheim interact with intense gestures, blending almost seamlessly with the chaos of diagonals implemented throughout the image. All the figures in their own way comment on the current tragic state of affairs and would one day be banned from Nazi Germany for their opposition. Yet in all their passion for politics, they seem hopelessly defeated - a sentiment captured by the realization of Beckmann's own disgust and exhaustion with politics.