The artwork “Brother and Sister” by Max Beckmann, created in 1933, exemplifies the Expressionism movement. It is considered a genre painting and currently resides within a private collection. This piece reflects the expressionist style characterized by the use of bold colors and distorted forms to convey emotional experience rather than physical reality.
In the artwork, we observe a vivid and chaotic assemblage of forms and colors that challenge the viewer’s traditional sense of space and proportion. The figures depicted are entangled in a complex interaction that appears both intimate and somewhat disconcerting. Strong outlines and contrasting hues contribute to a sense of emotional intensity and psychological depth, characteristics that are typical of Beckmann’s approach and of Expressionist art as a whole. Details such as the positioning of limbs and the facial expressions further heighten the dramatic and narrative elements of the piece.
