Max Carl Friedrich Beckmann (* 12 February 1884 in Leipzig; † 27 December 1950 in New York City) was a German painter, graphic artist, sculptor, author and university lecturer. He is one of the most important visual artists of 20th century Classical Modernism.
Beckmann took up the painting of the late 19th century as well as the art-historical tradition and formed a strong figure, which he opposed from 1911 to the emerging non-representationalism.
Beckmann was a member of the Berlin Secession in his early days, but then preferred to stylize himself as a loner. In particular, he opposed Pablo Picasso and Cubism with an idiosyncratic spatiality. He also developed a narrative and myth-creating style of painting, especially in ten triptychs he created between 1933 and 1950. Beckmann is particularly important as a concise draftsman, portraitist (including numerous self-portraits), and as a subtle illustrator. He is one of the most important visual artists of 20th century Classical Modernism.