Artwork
Self Portrait with Cigarette
Self Portrait with Cigarette is an oil painting by the German Expressionist artist Max Beckmann. It dates from 1947 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1947, this oil painting presents the artist’s own likeness, rendered with a direct gaze and a lit cigarette poised between his lips. The figure is bald, dressed in a blue jacket and a green scarf, set against a muted backdrop of greys, browns and touches of white. The work belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures a solemn, introspective presence, the cigarette adding a note of tension that hints at inner unrest. The straightforward composition is imbued with a subtle psychological charge, reflecting the artist’s later inclination toward darker, more unsettling themes.
Technique & Style
Bold, assertive brushwork and a vivid yet restrained palette give the image a palpable energy. The handling of paint emphasizes form through strong contours, while the contrasting colors of the scarf and jacket heighten the figure’s immediacy against the subdued background.
History & Provenance
German painter Max Beckmann, who moved away from early Expressionist affiliations toward the more detached New Objectivity, produced this self‑portrait during his post‑war period. The painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s European modern art collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Max Carl Friedrich Beckmann (February 12, 1884 – December 27, 1950) was a German painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, and writer.
