When the painting “Family Picture” by Max Beckmann was chosen as the book cover for The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, one can argue that the selection was adequate.
First of all one should look at the bland, sad and unanimated expression that the people in the painting posses. This part of the picture clearly attributes and compares to the bland, boring and unanimated life that the Samsa’s go through daily. On the right corner of the painting there is a man holding what appears to be a newspaper. This connects with the constant mention in the novel of people reading the newspaper, for example the father and the roamers.