Max Beckmann (1884-1950) is widely acknowledged as one of Germany’s leading painters of the twentieth century. Although Beckmann’s work has affinities with Expressionism and, in the 1920s, with Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity), he remains an isolated figure in early twentieth-century German art. A figurative painter throughout his career, his engagement with modernism and his ability to adapt and innovate in his work resulted in a highly personal vision and style. Now, the first major retrospective in this country since 1965, examining this personal vision and spanning his entire career, will open at Tate Modern on 13 February 2003.