In this print, Beckmann has depicted an interior scene. In comparison to the rest of the prints in the portfolio, this one is distinct by virtue of it being framed in black and quiet in mood. This helps to make it stand out from the chaotic scenes shown in the other prints. The scene was apparently inspired by a meagre meal of sardines that the artist shared with his son and relatives in Berlin. The shadowy figure in the background may refer to Christ, with the Lamb of God at his feet.
Max Beckmann (German, 1884 - 1950)
Beckmann was born in Leipzig. He studied in Weimar and Paris before settling in Berlin. At the outbreak of war he volunteered for the medical corps, but in 1915 suffered a nervous breakdown and was later discharged. After seeing the devastating effects of the war on the people of Germany and on the country itself, he began to question the values of the world. At about this time he moved away from Impressionism and adopted a more angular, expressionist style. Much of his work takes as its starting point political and social changes in Germany but ultimately his chief concerns were with spiritual values.