The Great Masters of Art: Käthe Kollwitz

A richly illustrated survey of the work of one of the best-known German artists of the twentieth century.

Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945) was one of the best-known German artists of the twentieth century. The unmistakable, touching language of her graphic and sculptural works is quickly grasped across cultures, enabling her work to be celebrated around the world.

Kollwitz debuted her graphic cycle “Ein Weberaufstand,” for which she drew inspiration from Gerhart Hauptmann’s drama of the same name, at the Great Berlin Art Exhibition in 1898. It was a great success, even as it caused a stir among the authorities because of its socially critical message. Outraged by the social ills of her time, Kollwitz dedicated her life to depicting people and giving a voice to the misery and grief of the poor and underprivileged in her works. Equally ingenious in terms of expression and artistic implementation, she took up themes such as farewell and death, peace, and the suffering of war in her graphics and sculptures. But she also offered intimate depictions of a mother and child, as well as self-portraits full of strength and beauty. This volume provides a brief but comprehensive overview of the artist’s life and oeuvre.