Buon anno
1917
Max Beckmann’s 1917 print 'Prosit Neujahr' (Happy New Year) is a far cry from a festive celebration. Instead of happy revelers, a claustrophobic crowd of grotesque, almost demonic faces blows party horns with manic intensity. Created while Beckmann served as a medical orderly in the horrors of World War I—an experience that actually caused him to suffer a nervous breakdown—this Expressionist piece channels deep trauma. The scratchy, aggressive lines turn a traditional New Year's toast into a grim, chaotic nightmare, essentially asking viewers what exactly there is to cheer about in a broken world.
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