Prints and Drawings of Käthe Kollwitz

by Käthe Kollwitz, Carl Zigrosser (Editor)

"The Weavers," a landmark of class-conscious art, which depicts, in a series of prints, the plight of the worker and his age-long struggle to better his lot. "Death as a Friend," showing a man greeting his death as an old friend, with a hysterical mixture of joy and terror. "The People," in which a mother shields her offspring from phantoms of hate, poverty, and ignorance — and symbolizes woman as creator, begetter of the human race, link between past and future.
These works represent the recurrent themes which most characterize the work of Käthe Kollwitz: social consciousness and a sense of the suffering of mankind, an urge to voice the basic maternal attitude, and a preoccupation with death. She has been called a propagandist, a crusader, yet her art is essentially apolitical. Her concern was not with partisan causes, but rather with universal rights.
Fundamentally a dramatic artist, Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945) brought to each of her works an uncanny ability to evoke human emotions through subtle gestures and facial expressions. The reactions of her characters were psychologically true primarily because she tested them on herself.
The present collection contains 83 of Mrs. Kollwitz's finest works, including the last great print cycles: "The Weavers" of 1898; "The Peasant War" of 1908; "War" of 1925; and "Death" of 1935. These selections provide a full panorama of Mrs. Kollwitz's development as a master of the graphic techniques of etching, woodcutting and lithography. Over 69 of the illustrations have been rephotographed from the original works specially for this edition, and new techniques in photolithography and a larger format have resulted in reproductions that are as close as possible to the prints and drawings themselves.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Germany

83 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compact Intro with a Kollwitz biography/evaluation preceeds the giant reproductions of the prints and drawings. (Her sculpture is not represented in this book.) The scale of the reproductions is really advantageous and, being monochrome prints and drawings, little is lost in photography and re-printing, compared to art forms where colour and texture are crucial.

Kollwitz seems to have had two main strands to her work - social justice and personal tragedy. The former was expressed by themes of workers' rights, poverty, ill-health and powerlessness and by pacifism. She didn't subscribe to any particular political movement or party, however and the link between the social justice works and the individual tragedies is simply basic human compassion. Kollwitz evidently had this in abundance. There is also a clear connection between her pacifism and the theme of individuals meeting Death (personified) with diverse reactions.

Kollwitz had enormous talent for expressing emotion through depiction of bodily posture and facial expression and this is what gives her work its power. I'm glad to have discovered her museum on my trip to Berlin last year.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used this book for an art history report -- her art, especially her self portraits were very inspiring. She expresses her emotions so beautifully in her prints and sculpture.

[Printable Tire]

Disturbing, with a fixation on the bleak and suffering, like Mother Theresa.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaethe Kollwitz had a deep empathy for the working classes, especially the widows and children of Germany during and between World Wars I and II. Their powerlessness and suffering were portrayed again and again in her art. She had a preoccupation with death, depicting it sometimes as a thief, other times as a friend. Her work is very moving, and through it one senses the quiet dignity of her life as well. The excellent introduction by Carl Zigrosser sets the context and enables a greater appreciation of her life and work.

[Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the edition I read was an older one than this, I found the introduction and biography just enough to pique my interest in this fascinating artist. Her subject matter can appear somewhere dark, but the execution of it is worth an exploration.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully oversized book to get a good look at her prints and drawings. Such simplicity conveyed so much emotion. Introduction provided a lot of information on her life, her art and its place in history. Women artists need more recognition in the history of art. Her art clearly stands strong and equals the talent and importance of the men that fill our galleries and museums.

[Paul Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Large format. Limited biographical information but cover in brief text with extensive illustration the evolution of her main works (but no photgraphs of her scultures, which dominated the latter part of her life).

[A YOGAM]

Und nun die harten Fakten zu Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945) – also jenseits meiner rein Waiblinger „Parallelstraßen-Recherche“ – bitteschön:
Aus meinem Leben (Goodreads)

[Domhnall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very simple drawings on inexpensive paper and yet powerful work with a real impact. Well worth obtaining a copy.

[Joanne Gass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kollwitz is perhaps Germany's greatest female expressionist. Her block prints and sculptures capture the love and anguish of motherhood, especially. The introduction is quite good.

[Bert Huisman]

20a t3