Käthe Kollwitz

Conspiracy

Conspiracy https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/not_detected_235965

"Outbreak" by Käthe Kollwitz depicts a tumultuous scene of peasant rebellion marked by dynamic movement and fervent emotion, reflecting her empathetic focus on social struggles and upheaval. This powerful piece, part of her "Peasants' War" series, embodies Kollwitz's deep commitment to illustrating the plight and resilience of the oppressed through expressive lines and stark contrasts.

Outbreak https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/outbreak-1908

"Death and Woman (Self-Portrait)" by Käthe Kollwitz is a poignant drawing depicting the struggle between life and mortality, featuring a skeletal figure of death clutching at a woman while her child attempts to hold her back. Kollwitz's work often explores themes of loss and humanity, influenced by the personal impact of war and social injustice.

Death and Woman (Self-Portrait) https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/not_detected_235970

Plate 2 In this image a group of young boys have volunteered to fight for the cause and are being swept away by the figure of Death beating his ominous drum. Kollwitz's two sons, Hans and Peter, both volunteered for the army in 1914. Hans survived his duty but eighteen-year-old Peter was killed in action shortly after he enlisted. Kollwitz was deeply affected by her son's death and her pain was revisited when her grandson was fatally wounded in World War II. She felt strongly that too many Germans had sacrificed themselves to the death for the Fatherland and was outspoken in her belief that the young should not be killed for the cause.

The Volunteers https://collections.artsmia.org/art/56193/

"Revolt (By the Gates of a Park)" by Käthe Kollwitz vividly captures the raw emotions and desperation of a group of people pushing against ornate gates, symbolizing resistance and social struggle. Kollwitz, renowned for her poignant depictions of inequality and suffering, uses dramatic contrasts in this lithograph to convey the intensity of the moment.

Revolt (By the Gates of a Park) https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/revolt-by-the-gates-of-a-park-1897

In early 1893, Kollwitz attended a private performance of Gerhart Hauptmann's play "The Weavers" in Berlin. The play was based on a historical uprising of Silesian textile workers in 1844, in which a group of workers decide their lot is intolerable and rally at the mansion of their employer. He calls in the military and in the upheaval that results, a stray bullet kills an old man who had opposed the uprising. There is no easy or happy conclusion, and the play ends on this note. By basing her graphic cycle on this infamous story, Kollwitz established herself as an artist concerned with the downtrodden. The six images of this cycle confront the difficult themes of poverty, infant mortality, violent rebellion, and retaliatory slaughter. They were not intended to illustrate the play, but rather to create a parallel and independent visual text so that even those unfamiliar with the play could understand the continual struggle of the worker.

March of the Weavers https://collections.artsmia.org/art/50033/

Käthe Kollwitz's "Unemployment" poignantly captures the despair and hopelessness of a family beset by economic hardship, as depicted through the somber figures and stark shadows in this lithograph. Her work is renowned for highlighting social issues and the struggles of the working class in early 20th-century Germany.

Unemployment https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/44774/

Gift of the Arnhold Family in memory of Sigrid Edwards

The Sacrifice (Das Opfer) from War (Krieg) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/69681

Käthe Kollwitz's artwork "Help Russia" depicts a haunting figure enveloped by large, compassionate hands, symbolizing solidarity and human struggle. Kollwitz, known for her poignant portrayals of suffering, created this piece during a period marked by the political and social upheavals of the early 20th century.

Help Russia https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/help-russia-1921

Old Man with Noose

Old Man with Noose https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/not_detected_235988

The Modern Women's Fund

Frontal Self-Portrait (Selbstbildnis von vorn) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/160136

"The Parents" by Käthe Kollwitz is a poignant lithograph capturing the profound grief of a mother and father through its evocative use of shading and line. Kollwitz, known for her empathetic portrayals of human suffering and social issues, imbues the piece with a deep emotional resonance reflective of her own personal losses.

The Parents https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/not_detected_235974

Gift of the Arnhold Family in memory of Sigrid Edwards

War (Krieg) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/69682

Gift of the Arnhold Family in memory of Sigrid Edwards

The Mothers (Die Mütter) from War (Krieg) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/69687

This charcoal drawing is a haunting self-portrait by Käthe Kollwitz, capturing introspective emotion and deep expression through minimal lines. Known for her focus on social themes, Kollwitz emphasizes vulnerability and strength in her work.

Self-Portrait https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/not_detected_235975

Gift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Worker Woman with Sleeping Child (Arbeiterfrau mit schlafendem Jungen) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/67353

Gift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Frontal Crouching Woman with Crossed Hands (Hockende Frau von vorne mit übereinander gelegten Händen) from the portfolio Seventeen Lithographs (Siebzehn Steinzeichnungen) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/67372

Preliminary study for "Pieta" lithograph (1903) Käthe Kollwitz had a remarkable ability to tap our capacity for empathy. Living in an impoverished section of Berlin, she witnessed firsthand the suffering of the ill, the unemployed, the malnourished, and the bereaved. This life study showing two views of a woman’s head conveys a world-weariness that speaks across time. In the larger study, Kollwitz shifted the position of the woman’s head, emphasizing the hollowness below her right cheekbone. She used fine hatching to bear in on the terrain of the woman’s haggard face. Finally, Kollwitz selectively smeared the chalk to indicate the soft skin of the woman’s lips and eyelids, lending a touch of tender vulnerability to her tough, leathery features. Related works reveal that as Kollwitz drew this study she had in mind a mother grieving over a dead child.

Two Studies of a Woman's Head https://collections.artsmia.org/art/19748/

"The Sacrifice (Das Opfer)" by Käthe Kollwitz is a poignant woodcut emphasizing themes of loss and maternal grief, reflecting the impact of war on families. Part of her series on social realism, the artwork is distinguished by its stark contrasts and emotional depth, embodying Kollwitz's dedication to depicting human suffering and resilience.

The Sacrifice (Das Opfer) https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/57358

Gift of Edward M. M. Warburg

The Last Thing (Das Letzte) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/62993

Gift of the Arnhold Family in memory of Sigrid Edwards

The Volunteers (Die Freiwilligen) from War (Krieg) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/69683

In "Whetting the Scythe," Käthe Kollwitz masterfully captures a moment of intense concentration, depicting an elderly figure sharpening a scythe with a raw, emotive style. This artwork reflects Kollwitz's focus on the themes of hardship and resilience within working-class life, rendered through her powerful use of line and texture.

Whetting the Scythe https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/whetting-the-scythe

The Ralph E. Shikes Fund

Help Russia (Helft Russland) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/64677

The Ralph E. Shikes Fund

March of the Weavers (Weberzug) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/64700

"The Widow I (Die Witwe I)" by Käthe Kollwitz powerfully captures the profound grief and solitude experienced by a mourning figure, portrayed in deep, somber tones and stark lines. A master of graphic art, Kollwitz often explored themes of suffering and loss, shaped by personal tragedy and war, through her poignant and empathetic depictions.

The Widow I (Die Witwe I) https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/57361

"The Mothers" by Käthe Kollwitz is a poignant lithograph depicting a group of women clinging protectively to their children, capturing the deep bond and collective fear experienced by families during wartime. Kollwitz's work is renowned for its emotional intensity and social commentary, often reflecting her pacifist beliefs and personal experiences of loss.

The Mothers https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/not_detected_235972

Gift of Edward M. M. Warburg

Two Chatting Women with Two Children (Zwei schwatzende Frauen mit zwei Kindern) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/68530

"The Survivors" by Käthe Kollwitz is a powerful lithograph portraying a group of somber, gaunt faces that evoke a deep sense of anguish and resilience. Known for her emotive depictions of war and poverty, Kollwitz captures the raw humanity of those left to endure the aftermath of conflict.

The Survivors https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/not_detected_235978

The Modern Women's Fund

Self-Portrait (Selbstbildnis) http://www.moma.org/collection/works/160137

Self-Portrait, Hand at the Forehead

Self-Portrait, Hand at the Forehead https://www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/self-portrait-hand-at-the-forehead-1910