Max Beckmann was born in Leipzig, the youngest son of a flour merchant. After his father's death in 1894, the family moved to Braunschweig. He studied at the Kunstakademie in Weimar between 1900-1903, then spent five months in Paris before settling in Berlin.
Beckmann rapidly established a reputation as one of the leading talents of the Berlin Secession.
During the First World War Beckmann worked as a medical orderly, and his experiences radically changed the direction of his work.
After a nervous breakdown in 1915 he was given leave to go to Frankfurt where he remained for eighteen years, and where he had a teaching appointment at the art school attached to the Staedesches Kunstinstitut. After the Nazis came to power in 1933 he moved to Berlin before he was dismissed from the Staedel. The day after hearing Hitler's speech at the opening of the Haus der deutschen Kunst in Munich in July 1937 he emigrated to Holland, intending at first to settle in Paris, then move to America. However, when the Nazis invaded Holland he had to remain there, and only departed for America in 1947, where he taught in various art schools including St. Louis and New York.
Beckmann is without doubt one of the leading figures of German twentieth century art.
Beckmann rapidly established a reputation as one of the leading talents of the Berlin Secession.
During the First World War Beckmann worked as a medical orderly, and his experiences radically changed the direction of his work.
After a nervous breakdown in 1915 he was given leave to go to Frankfurt where he remained for eighteen years, and where he had a teaching appointment at the art school attached to the Staedesches Kunstinstitut. After the Nazis came to power in 1933 he moved to Berlin before he was dismissed from the Staedel. The day after hearing Hitler's speech at the opening of the Haus der deutschen Kunst in Munich in July 1937 he emigrated to Holland, intending at first to settle in Paris, then move to America. However, when the Nazis invaded Holland he had to remain there, and only departed for America in 1947, where he taught in various art schools including St. Louis and New York.
Beckmann is without doubt one of the leading figures of German twentieth century art.
