Max Beckmann

(Germany 1884–1950)

Title

Mother and daughter

Other titles:

Old woman in ermine
Old lady with daughter

Alternative title:

Alte dame mit Tochter

Year

1946

Media category

Painting

Materials used

oil on canvas

Dimensions

150.5 x 80.5cm stretcher; 172.4 x 102.9 x 6.5cm frame

Signature & date

Signed and dated l.c., black oil "Beckmann / ... 46".

Credit

Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation Purchase 1987

Accession number

400.1987

Copyright

Location

Modern gallery

Further information

Although associated with German expressionism and the New Objectivity movement, Max Beckmann occupies his own category as a moral fabulist. His proclivity was for symbolic narratives, often large in scale and complex in iconography, that highlight the tragicomic fate of humanity. The triptych, with its sacred associations, was the format he favoured for important projects, producing a significant number of them at the time of his forced flight from Nazism in 1937. Beckmann's portraits, still-life subjects, nudes and smaller genre pieces are equally invested with a sense of the sacramental. Ever the sceptical recorder of the follies of the world, even his most affectionate works have a cynical edge. 'Mother and daughter' [invested with Beckham's sense of the sacramental]: might be read as a prostitute presented for our inspection by the madam of the brothel. Or perhaps the older woman signifies exhausted Europe, counterpoised with the vital New World of America. Beckmann relocated to the United States in 1947 after a decade spent in Holland.

AGNSW Handbook, 1999.

Provenance (5)

Galerie Beyeler (Switzerland), 1985-01 May 1987, Basel/Switzerland, Purchased by the AGNSW from Galerie Beyeler 1987. Galerie Beyeler stock no. 10714

Grace Borgenicht Gallery (United States of America, closed 1996), circa 1985, New York/New York/United States of America, Purchased by Galerie Beyeler from Grace Borgenicht Gallery 1985

Private Collection, 1976, New York/New York/United States of America, Information from 'Max Beckmann: Katalog der Gemälde', Band I; Erhard Göpel, Barbara Göpel; 1976, pg. 437, as New York, Privatbesitz

Catherine Viviano Gallery (United States of America, estab. 1950, closed 1970), 1967, New York/New York/United States of America, with Catherine Viviano Gallery 1967. Exhibited in 'Twelve paintings of women by Max Beckmann' 7 Feb - 4 Mar 1967, cat.no.8. Catherine Viviano Gallery handled the estate of Max Beckmann.

Mathilde Quappi Beckmann (Germany, b.1904, d.1986), 1950-1967?, New York/New York/United States of America

Bibliography (16)

'Foundation building' by Michael Wardell, pg.14-17, Look Sep 2004, Sep 2004, 15.

Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 62 (colour illus.).

Art Gallery of New South Wales Foundation Annual Report 1997 1997, 1997, 12 (colour illus.).

Ewen McDonald (Australia) (Editor), The Art Gallery of New South Wales collections, Sydney, 1994, 168 (colour illus.).

Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874) (Author), Great gifts, great patrons: an exhibition celebrating private patronage of the Gallery, Sydney, 1994. no catalogue numbers

Annabel Davie (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales Handbook, Domain, 1988, 52 (colour illus.).

'Acquisitions: Old Woman in Ermine' by Renee Free, Look Oct 1987, Oct 1987, 9 (colour illus.).

'Gallery boss jumps to Old Woman's defence' by Simon Kent, The Sydney Morning Herald 25 Aug 1987, 25 Aug 1987, 7 (illus).

Galerie Beyeler (Switzerland) (Author), aus privaten Sammlungen, Basel, 1986, (colour illus.). cat.no. 4

Erhard Göpel (Author), Barbara Göpel (Author), Max Beckmann: Katalog der Gemälde, Band I, Bern, 1976, 437. cat.no. 730

Erhard Göpel (Author), Barbara Göpel (Author), Max Beckmann: Katalog der Gemälde, Band II, Bern, 1976, Tafel 268 (illus.). cat.no. 730

article by Fritz Neugass, Die Weltkunst 1967, 1967, 590.

Catherine Viviano Gallery (United States of America, estab. 1950, closed 1970) (Author), Twelve paintings of women by Max Beckmann, Unknown, 1967, (illus.). cat.no. 8

Peter Selz (United States of America, b.1919) (Author), Seven decades 1895-1965: crosscurrents in modern art, California, 1966, (illus.). cat.no. 263

Peter Beckmann (Author), Peter Selz (United States of America, b.1919) (Author), Max Beckmann-Sichtbares und Unsichtbares, Unknown, 1965, 101 (colour illus.).

Max Beckmann (Germany, b.1884, d.1950) (Author), Diary, Unknown, 1946. 1946: 30 April, 7 May, 30 July, 10 August, 11 September, 3 October, 14 November

Exhibition history (6)

Beckmann, Buchholz Gallery, 17 Nov 1947–12 Dec 1947.

Seven Decades, 1895-1965: Crosscurrents in Modern Art, Galleria Odyssia, New York, 26 Apr 1966–21 May 1966.

Twelve paintings of women by Max Beckmann, Catherine Viviano Gallery, 07 Feb 1967–04 Mar 1967.

Works by Max Beckmann, Nassau County Museum of Fine Art, 21 Dec 1984–13 Jan 1985.

aus privaten Sammlungen, Galerie Beyeler, 08 Feb 1986–19 Apr 1986.

(NGA collection display), National Gallery of Australia, 01 May 2010–31 Aug 2010.