Paper

Student Artwork Guide

Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket

Name Class Date

Max Beckmann, Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket (1950). Public domain.

The facts

Artist
Max Beckmann artsdot.com/en/artists/max-beckmann/
Artist’s dates
1884 – 1950
Painted
1950
Movement
Expressionism Colour and shape deliberately distorted so the picture shows an emotion rather than a likeness.

In context

Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket — Max Beckmann

When was this painted?

  1. 1880
  2. 1890
  3. 1900
  4. 1910
  5. 1920
  6. 1930
  7. 1940
  8. 1950

Shaded: the lifetime of Max Beckmann (1884–1950) ▲ this work, 1950

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/max-beckmann-self-portrait-in-blue-jacket-8XYK3U-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Quinacridone Magenta #825948

    Catalogued palette

    • #825948
    • #2F282C
    • #345597
    • #DCCBA8
    Main colour name
    Quinacridone Magenta
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Balanced How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Softly Mixed Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Deep_shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Max Beckmann

    Born in Leipzig, Germany

    early life and artistic development

    max beckmann, a renowned german painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, and writer, was born on february 12, 1884, in leipzig, saxony. his artistic journey began with academically correct depictions, which later transformed into distorted figures and spaces, reflecting his altered vision of humanity after serving as a medical orderly in world war i.

    artistic style and influences

    beckmann's style, rooted in the imagery of medieval stained glass, was influenced by various artists, including cézanne, van gogh, blake, rembrandt, and rubens. he also drew inspiration from northern european artists of the late middle ages and early renaissance, such as bosch, bruegel, and matthias grünewald.

    notable works and exhibitions

    the bark (acquired by the national gallery in berlin) self-portrait in tuxedo (purchased in 1928) * retrospectives at the städtische kunsthalle mannheim (1928) and in basle and zurich (1930)

    later life and exile

    beckmann's fortunes changed with the rise of adolf hitler, leading to his dismissal from the art school in frankfurt and the confiscation of over 500 of his works. he lived in self-imposed exile in amsterdam for ten years, failing to obtain a visa for the united states.

    legacy

    taught at the art schools of washington university in st. louis and the brooklyn museum first retrospective in the united states took place in 1948 at the city art museum, saint louis * max-slevogt galerie, germany, features a collection of his works

    max-slevogt galerie, germany

    history of painting

    max beckmann's artworks on AllPaintingsStore

    key dates: born: february 12, 1884 died: december 27, 1950

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket

    artsdot.com/en/art/download/max-beckmann-self-portrait-in-blue-jacket-8XYK3U-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Beckmann, Max. Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket. 1950, https://artsdot.com/en/art/max-beckmann-self-portrait-in-blue-jacket-8XYK3U-en/
    APA
    Beckmann, Max (1950). Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket [Painting]. https://artsdot.com/en/art/max-beckmann-self-portrait-in-blue-jacket-8XYK3U-en/
    Chicago
    Max Beckmann. Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket. 1950. https://artsdot.com/en/art/max-beckmann-self-portrait-in-blue-jacket-8XYK3U-en/
    Harvard
    Beckmann, Max (1950) Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket. Available at: https://artsdot.com/en/art/max-beckmann-self-portrait-in-blue-jacket-8XYK3U-en/

    Look closely

    Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket — Max Beckmann

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: self-portrait, blue jacket, contemplation. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at The Night (1919), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Expressionism: Colour and shape deliberately distorted so the picture shows an emotion rather than a likeness. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.