Max Beckmann
Max Beckmann
1884 - 1950
Die Hunde werden größer. 1947.
Watercolor over charcoal, pencil, and ink pen Bleistift und Tuschfeder.
Signed and dated “11/25/47 I B” in the lower right. With a hand-written note “Die Hunde werden grösser. 11/25/47. Amsterdam” (The dogs are getting bigger) on the reverse, as well as with a dedication from Quappi Beckmann to Günther Franke: ”für Günter Franke | in alter Freundschaft | und Gedenken an Max | herzlich von | Mathilde Quappi Beckmann.”. On PH-Antique laid paper. 34.5 x 25 cm (13.5 x 9.8 in), the full sheet. [JS].
• MODERN MARTYRDOM Symbol of Beckmann’s tragic personal situation in 1947.
• NEW BEGINNING / NEW START Created between his exile in Amsterdam and his new beginning in America, similar to the triptych “The Beginning” (1946–49) (Metropolitan Museum, New York).
• ENIGMATIC A scene of horror serving as a condensed symbol of political threat?
• EXCELLENT PROVENANCE Quappi Beckmann dedicated this work to her friend Günther Franke.
• EXHIBITION Major solo exhibitions, notably at the Schirn, Frankfurt am Main (2006), the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (2007), the Städel, Frankfurt am Main (2011–12), and the Kunsthalle Hamburg (2021–22).
PROVENANCE: Mathilde (Quappi) Beckmann, New York.
Günther Franke, Munich (Beckmann’s gallerist and art dealer; gifted by the above, inscribed on the reverse).
Sophie Franke, Munich (1977, from the above).
Private collection (1992, Kornfeld – 2006).
Fritz Eugen and Hannemarie Kropatscheck Collection, Hamburg (2006, from the above).
EXHIBITION: Buchholz Gallery – Valentin Gallery, New York (listed as “anonymous loan, not for sale” in the catalog).
Max Beckmann. Frankfurter Kunstkabinett Hanna Brekker vom Rath, Frankfurt am Main 1955, cat. no. 31 (here with different dimensions).
Max Beckmann. 180 Zeichnungen und Aquarelle aus deutschem und amerikanischem Besitz, Galerie Günther Franke, Munich 1975, cat. no. 149.
Max Beckmann. Aquarelle und Zeichnungen 1903–1950. Kunsthalle Bielefeld, 1977, cat. no. 204, p. 75 (with illu.).
Der Zeichner und Grafiker Max Beckmann, Kunstverein Hamburg 1979, cat. no. 140, p. 139 (with illu. on p. 129).
Hommage à Günther Franke. Barlach, Baumeister, Beckmann, Bembé, Blumenthal.., Villa Stuck, Munich 1983, cat. no. 19, p. 37 (with illu., here with different dimensions).
Max Beckmann. Retrospective, Haus der Kunst, Munich 1984, cat. no. 196, p. 369 (with ill.).
Max Beckmann. Die Aquarelle und Pastelle, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt am Main 2006.
Max Beckmann. Exile in Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, April 6, 2007–August 19, 2007; Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, September 13, 2007–January 6, 2008, p. 342 (with illu. on p. 343).
Beckmann & Amerika, Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main, 2011/12, cat. no. 52, p. 132 (with illu. on p. 133).
Dix / Beckmann: Mythos der Welt, Kunsthalle Mannheim, Mannheim, 2013/14, cat. no. 89, p. 240 (with illu. on p. 209).
Max Beckmann: weiblich - männlich, Kunsthalle Hamburg 2020/21, cat. no. 75 (with illu. on p. 152).
LITERATURE: Anja Tiedemann, Kaldewei Cultural Foundation (ed.), Max Beckmann: Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, Frankfurt am Main, Online CR no. MB-AP 134 (with illu.), Source: https://max-beckmann.org/mb/ap/134 [last accessed: Oct. 10, 2026].
Mayen Beckmann and Siegfried Gohr, Max Beckmann. The Watercolors and Pastels. Catalogue Raisonné of Color Works on Paper, Cologne 2006, CR no. 134, pp. 296–297 (with illu.).
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Max Beckmann, diary entry from December 27, 1947.
Stadtnächte. Der Zeichner und Grafiker Max Beckmann, exhibition catalog, Kunstverein Hamburg, 1980, p. 141 (with illu. on p. 133).
Erhard Göpel (ed.), Max Beckmann. Tagebücher 1940–1950, Munich 1984, p. 240.
Max Beckmann. Retrospective, exhibition catalog, St. Louis Art Museum, 1984, p. 369.
Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, Modern Art, Part I, Auction June 26, 1992, cat. no. 5 (with illu.).
Klaus Gallwitz, Uwe M. Schneede, Stephan von Wiese (eds.), Max Beckmann Briefe, 1937–1950, Vol. III, Munich/Zurich 1996, p. 12.
Helmut G. Schütz, Sphinx Beckmann. Exemplarische Annäherung an Max Beckmanns Kunst, Munich 1997, p. 123.
Siegfried Gohr, Selbstgespräche. Watercolors and Pastels by Max Beckmann, in: Exhibition catalog, Sinclaire-Haus, Bad Homburg 2001, pp. 30 and 38.
Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, Art of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Part I, June 16, 2006, cat. no. 32 (with illu.).
Max Beckmann
1884 - 1950
Die Hunde werden größer. 1947.
Watercolor over charcoal, pencil, and ink pen Bleistift und Tuschfeder.
Signed and dated “11/25/47 I B” in the lower right. With a hand-written note “Die Hunde werden grösser. 11/25/47. Amsterdam” (The dogs are getting bigger) on the reverse, as well as with a dedication from Quappi Beckmann to Günther Franke: ”für Günter Franke | in alter Freundschaft | und Gedenken an Max | herzlich von | Mathilde Quappi Beckmann.”. On PH-Antique laid paper. 34.5 x 25 cm (13.5 x 9.8 in), the full sheet. [JS].
• MODERN MARTYRDOM Symbol of Beckmann’s tragic personal situation in 1947.
• NEW BEGINNING / NEW START Created between his exile in Amsterdam and his new beginning in America, similar to the triptych “The Beginning” (1946–49) (Metropolitan Museum, New York).
• ENIGMATIC A scene of horror serving as a condensed symbol of political threat?
• EXCELLENT PROVENANCE Quappi Beckmann dedicated this work to her friend Günther Franke.
• EXHIBITION Major solo exhibitions, notably at the Schirn, Frankfurt am Main (2006), the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (2007), the Städel, Frankfurt am Main (2011–12), and the Kunsthalle Hamburg (2021–22).
PROVENANCE: Mathilde (Quappi) Beckmann, New York.
Günther Franke, Munich (Beckmann’s gallerist and art dealer; gifted by the above, inscribed on the reverse).
Sophie Franke, Munich (1977, from the above).
Private collection (1992, Kornfeld – 2006).
Fritz Eugen and Hannemarie Kropatscheck Collection, Hamburg (2006, from the above).
EXHIBITION: Buchholz Gallery – Valentin Gallery, New York (listed as “anonymous loan, not for sale” in the catalog).
Max Beckmann. Frankfurter Kunstkabinett Hanna Brekker vom Rath, Frankfurt am Main 1955, cat. no. 31 (here with different dimensions).
Max Beckmann. 180 Zeichnungen und Aquarelle aus deutschem und amerikanischem Besitz, Galerie Günther Franke, Munich 1975, cat. no. 149.
Max Beckmann. Aquarelle und Zeichnungen 1903–1950. Kunsthalle Bielefeld, 1977, cat. no. 204, p. 75 (with illu.).
Der Zeichner und Grafiker Max Beckmann, Kunstverein Hamburg 1979, cat. no. 140, p. 139 (with illu. on p. 129).
Hommage à Günther Franke. Barlach, Baumeister, Beckmann, Bembé, Blumenthal.., Villa Stuck, Munich 1983, cat. no. 19, p. 37 (with illu., here with different dimensions).
Max Beckmann. Retrospective, Haus der Kunst, Munich 1984, cat. no. 196, p. 369 (with ill.).
Max Beckmann. Die Aquarelle und Pastelle, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt am Main 2006.
Max Beckmann. Exile in Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, April 6, 2007–August 19, 2007; Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, September 13, 2007–January 6, 2008, p. 342 (with illu. on p. 343).
Beckmann & Amerika, Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main, 2011/12, cat. no. 52, p. 132 (with illu. on p. 133).
Dix / Beckmann: Mythos der Welt, Kunsthalle Mannheim, Mannheim, 2013/14, cat. no. 89, p. 240 (with illu. on p. 209).
Max Beckmann: weiblich - männlich, Kunsthalle Hamburg 2020/21, cat. no. 75 (with illu. on p. 152).
LITERATURE: Anja Tiedemann, Kaldewei Cultural Foundation (ed.), Max Beckmann: Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, Frankfurt am Main, Online CR no. MB-AP 134 (with illu.), Source: https://max-beckmann.org/mb/ap/134 [last accessed: Oct. 10, 2026].
Mayen Beckmann and Siegfried Gohr, Max Beckmann. The Watercolors and Pastels. Catalogue Raisonné of Color Works on Paper, Cologne 2006, CR no. 134, pp. 296–297 (with illu.).
- -
Max Beckmann, diary entry from December 27, 1947.
Stadtnächte. Der Zeichner und Grafiker Max Beckmann, exhibition catalog, Kunstverein Hamburg, 1980, p. 141 (with illu. on p. 133).
Erhard Göpel (ed.), Max Beckmann. Tagebücher 1940–1950, Munich 1984, p. 240.
Max Beckmann. Retrospective, exhibition catalog, St. Louis Art Museum, 1984, p. 369.
Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, Modern Art, Part I, Auction June 26, 1992, cat. no. 5 (with illu.).
Klaus Gallwitz, Uwe M. Schneede, Stephan von Wiese (eds.), Max Beckmann Briefe, 1937–1950, Vol. III, Munich/Zurich 1996, p. 12.
Helmut G. Schütz, Sphinx Beckmann. Exemplarische Annäherung an Max Beckmanns Kunst, Munich 1997, p. 123.
Siegfried Gohr, Selbstgespräche. Watercolors and Pastels by Max Beckmann, in: Exhibition catalog, Sinclaire-Haus, Bad Homburg 2001, pp. 30 and 38.
Galerie Kornfeld, Bern, Art of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Part I, June 16, 2006, cat. no. 32 (with illu.).
