Beckmann

The Städel Museum has one of the most important Beckmann collections in the world. His works have been collected and studied for more than 100 years. In the winter of 2025, the Städel Museum will turn the spotlight on Max Beckmann (1884–1950) as a draughtsman. Around eighty works—many of them on public display for the first time—will document the development of his graphic œuvre, from early sketches to late painterly masterpieces.

Drawing was of existential importance to Beckmann and accompanied him through all phases of his work. In drawing, he shaped his personal worldview, creating works with pencil, charcoal, chalk and pastel that transformed fleeting impressions into meaningful, multi-layered compositions. The exhibition shows Beckmann at his most intense and creative. Selected paintings and coloured works on paper also provide an insight into the artistic process and the interplay between different media.