In his early lithographs executed in the years before World War I, Max Beckmann was concerned primarily with illustrations of mythological and biblical subjects. With scenes like the Tegel Open-Air Bath, urban life found its way into his printed graphics imagery. The young artist made use of the painterly qualities of the lithographic crayon and the wealth of nuances between dark and light to lend the contemporary bathing scene dynamic force as well as an enigmatic character. Along with the Admiralscafé, this new acquisition enhances the Städel’s outstanding collection of Beckmann prints.