“There are a lot of women artists. But there is hardly anyone else who [is] so independent and […] who has increased mankind’s possession of forms to such an extent as Käthe Kollwitz did. “
Curt Glaser (Berliner Börsen-Courier, 1927)
Käthe Kollwitz – Her artistic work
Käthe Kollwitz’s oeuvre consists of thousands of drawings, almost 300 prints and posters as well as around 40 sculptural works. She dealt exclusively with the representation of people, depicting their distress and joy in an unmistakable visual language.
In her early work, Käthe Kollwitz was inspired by literature and achieved great recognition with her first graphic cycle “A Weavers’ Revolt”, inspired by a drama by Gerhart Hauptmann.
Need, sheet 1 of the series A Weavers’ Revolt, 1893-1897, lithograph
March of the Weavers, sheet 4 of the series A Weavers’ Revolt, 1893-1897, etching
The preoccupation with the motif mother and child can be traced across the artist’s entire work.
Municipal Shelter, 1926, lithograph
Parents with Child, 1931, lithograph
Her attention and her sympathy always went to people in difficult social and financial circumstances.
Supplicant, 1909, crayon drawing
Cottage Industry, 1925, lithograph
The theme of death is often found in her work in connection with the mother’s mourning for a dead child.
Woman with Dead Child, 1903, etching
Mother with Dead Child (Pietà), 1937/38, bronze
After her younger son Peter was killed in the First World War, she created committed works against the war. The attitude of the mothers now shows an energetic protection of the children.
Never War Again!, 1924, lithograph
The Mothers, sheet 6 of the series War, 1921/22, woodcut
Death became a recurring motif in her late work, the expectation of death is discussed as well as the lament over it.
Departure and Death, 1923, lithograph
Käthe Kollwitz, Lamentation, 1938-1941, bronze
The personal condition of Käthe Kollwitz can be read from the artist’s numerous self-portraits.
Self-Portrait at a Table, 1903, etching
Small Self-Portrait towards left, 1922, lithograph