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Käthe Kollwitz

@kkollwitz.bsky.social

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Fan account of Käthe Kollwitz, a German artist, who worked with painting, printmaking and sculpture. 1867-1945 Automated #artbot thanks to @andreitr.bsky.social and @botfrens.bsky.social

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 14m

Hamburg Tavern collections.artsmia.org/art/115159

two men at left embracing; standing woman at right; seated man playing accordion at center; another seated man at left

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 5h

Sleeping Woman with Child www.slam.org/collection/objects/230…

"Sleeping Woman with Child" by Käthe Kollwitz depicts a tender scene of maternal intimacy, characterized by its use of stark contrasts and gentle lines to evoke emotion. Kollwitz, renowned for her poignant portrayals of human struggle and compassion, masterfully captures the warmth and tranquility of this moment in her iconic graphic style.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 22h

Conspiracy www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

Conspiracy

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

In Memoriam Karl Liebknecht (Gedenkblatt für Karl Liebknecht) www.moma.org/collection/works/71889

The Philip and Lynn Straus Foundation Fund

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The Widow II collections.artsmia.org/art/56245

Plate 5
Käthe Kollwitz is remembered for her haunting scenes of suffering, especially the tragic consequences of poverty and disease among women and children. She was anti-war, anti-violence, and ultimately a believer in the triumph of the human spirit, and she skillfully used the graphic arts—prints, illustrations, posters—to promote her left-leaning social agenda. In her print cycle Krieg (War), Kollwitz exploited the woodcut’s stark graphic power to illustrate war’s tragic effect on wives, parents, and children left behind. Tied to no specific time or place, the heartrending images are both universal admonishments against war and personal memories of loss—her son Peter died in battle in 1914, two months after joining the German Army.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The Mothers collections.artsmia.org/art/56200

Plate 6
In this image of maternal protection, Kollwitz portrays a group of mothers banding together to guard their children from exterior threats while preventing them from leaving the safety of the circle. In 1918 Kollwitz responded to the poet Richard Dehmel's appeal to all capable Germans to sacrifice themselves to the death for the Fatherland. She believed that enough people had already fallen and quoted the poet Goethe who wrote, "Seed corn must not be ground." The inclusion of a print like this in the War series displays Kollwitz's unique outlook on this theme.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Child's Head (Kinderkopf) www.moma.org/collection/works/67392

Gift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Self-Portrait www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

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.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Hunger www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

The artwork "Hunger" by Käthe Kollwitz starkly depicts the bleakness of starvation with haunting figures and stark contrasts, evoking deep emotional resonance. Created with powerful expressionistic lines, it reflects Kollwitz's commitment to social justice and the struggles of the working class.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The Volunteers collections.artsmia.org/art/56193

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.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The End www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/t…

Käthe Kollwitz's artwork "The End" powerfully captures the grim realities of poverty and despair, with figures visibly overcome by exhaustion and suffering within a cramped interior space. The piece is a striking example of Kollwitz's commitment to social justice, using her art to highlight the hardships faced by the working class in early 20th-century Germany.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Widow I collections.artsmia.org/art/56244

Plate 4

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Self-portrait collections.artsmia.org/art/115092

head of a woman with wide mouth and thin lips; light-colored hair

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Two Chatting Women with Two Children (Zwei schwatzende Frauen mit zwei Kindern) www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollecti…

This charcoal drawing by Käthe Kollwitz captures an intimate, everyday scene of two women engaged in conversation, each tenderly holding a child. Kollwitz, known for her poignant depictions of working-class life, portrays warmth and connection amidst simple surroundings.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The Widow II (Die Witwe II) from War (Krieg) www.moma.org/collection/works/69686

Gift of the Arnhold Family in memory of Sigrid Edwards

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Pregnant woman with folded hands www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

This artwork, "Pregnant Woman with Folded Hands" by Käthe Kollwitz, gracefully captures a deeply contemplative and somber expression using her distinctive etching technique. Kollwitz, renowned for her empathetic portrayals of women and the human condition, often focused on themes of motherhood and suffering throughout her career.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The People collections.artsmia.org/art/56190

Plate 7

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The Homecoming (Die Heimkehr) [Poster for the Groß Berliner Arbeitsgemeinschaft für alkoholfreie Jugenderziehung (Working Committee of Greater Berlin for the Alcohol-Free Upbringing of Youth)] www.moma.org/collection/works/67579

Riva Castleman Fund

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Small Self-Portrait (Kleines Selbstbildnis) (plate 3) from Deutsche Graphiker der Gegenwart (German Printmakers of Our Time) www.moma.org/collection/works/9039

Purchase

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The Sacrifice collections.artsmia.org/art/56243

Plate 1
Several German artists tackled the theme of War during this explosive period in their country's history. Kollwitz's series of seven woodcuts is unique among these in that it does not focus on warfare per se, but on the women and children at home before, during, and after the battle. In these large-scale works she used the woodcut medium in a bold and graphic manner to convey her sorrow and anger at current events in Germany. The first print of the suite is this sheet in which a mother offers her newborn baby to the cause; this idea of sacrifice permeates the entire series.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Woman with Bowed Head collections.artsmia.org/art/114998

head and shoulders of a middle-aged woman, looking down toward LLC; dark ground

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The Carmagnole (Dance Around the Guillotine) www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

Käthe Kollwitz’s "The Carmagnole (Dance Around the Guillotine)" depicts a haunting scene of figures frenetically dancing in a cramped, darkened square amidst towering buildings. Known for her focus on human suffering and social justice, Kollwitz captures the turbulence and chaos of revolutionary fervor with dramatic intensity.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The Parents collections.artsmia.org/art/56194

Plate 3
Kollwitz reworked the motif of the bereaved parents multiple times as both a print and a sculpture. She planned the sculpture to serve as a memorial to her son Peter who was killed in World War I. She struggled with this image and wrote in her journal, "Yet again I am not finished with the War series. Done the sheet 'Parents' over again. Suddenly it looks entirely bad to me. Far too bright and hard and distinct. Pain is totally dark." Yet in the end, Kollwitz succeeded in capturing the grief of the bereaved parents that she knew only too well.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Gretchen www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

This artwork by Käthe Kollwitz, titled "Gretchen," depicts a somber, introspective figure of a woman with crossed arms, captured in an expressive, sensitive style. Kollwitz is known for her poignant portrayals of human suffering, and this piece reflects her mastery in conveying deep emotion and social commentary through lithography.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The Prisoners www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/t…

"The Prisoners" by Käthe Kollwitz portrays a haunting assembly of confined, downtrodden figures, captured with intense emotion and expressive detail. Known for her powerful use of bleak imagery, Kollwitz's work frequently explored themes of human suffering and social injustice during the early 20th century.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The Mothers (Die Mütter) www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollecti…

"The Mothers (Die Mütter)" by Käthe Kollwitz is a powerful woodcut depicting a group of women huddled together in an expression of communal grief and protection. Created in response to the horrors of war, the artwork captures the resilience and solidarity among mothers facing shared suffering.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

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

Gift of the Arnhold Family in memory of Sigrid Edwards

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Fear, from "Kriegszeit," vol. 1, no. 10, Oct. 28, 1914 www.harvardartmuseums.org/collectio…

One page from Paul Cassirer's Kriegszeit: Künstlerflugblätter (einfache Ausgabe).

Harvard Art Museums/Busch-Reisinger Museum, Gift of Louis W. Black

© Estate of Käthe Kollwitz, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

The Widow I (Die Witwe 1) (front cover) from War (Krieg) www.moma.org/collection/works/69689

Gift of the Arnhold Family in memory of Sigrid Edwards

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Woman with Dead Child www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

Käthe Kollwitz's "Woman with Dead Child" is a powerful etching from 1903 that conveys the profound grief of a mother clutching her lifeless child, capturing raw emotion and despair. Known for her exploration of human suffering, Kollwitz's work often addresses themes of loss and social injustice, influenced by her personal tragedies and activism during times of war and upheaval.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

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

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.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The Young Couple (Junges Paar) www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollecti…

"The Young Couple (Junges Paar)" by Käthe Kollwitz presents an intimate and poignant scene, reflecting the themes of struggle and emotional depth characteristic of Kollwitz's work. Through her use of stark contrasts and expressive line work, she captures the complexities of youthful existence and human connection during uncertain times.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Unemployment www.slam.org/collection/objects/447…

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.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Woman Entrusts Herself to Death (Frau vertraut sich dem Tode an) from the series Death (Tod) www.moma.org/collection/works/117567

Purchase

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Självporträtt från sidan kokoelmat.fng.fi/app?si=C+VI+2475

Självporträtt från sidan

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Self-Portrait, Hand at the Forehead (Selbstbildnis mit der Hand an der Stirn) www.moma.org/collection/works/65145

Gift of Mrs. Milton Weill

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Whetting the Scythe www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/w…

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.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Death, Woman, and Child (Tod, Frau und Kind) www.moma.org/collection/works/66036

Gift of Mrs. Theodore Boettger

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

March of the Weavers collections.artsmia.org/art/9064

Plate 4
In early 1893, Kollwitz attended a private showing of Gerhart Hauptmann's play The Weavers in Berlin. The play was based on a historical uprising of Silesian workers in 1844, in which the workers decide their lot is intolerable and rally at the mansion of their employer. He calls in the military and in the scuffle 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 work, Kollwitz established herself as an artist concerned with the downtrodden. The images of this cycle confront the difficult themes of poverty, infant mortality, violent rebellion, and retaliatory slaughter. The images were not intended to illustrate the play, but rather to create a parallel and self-sufficient visual text so that even those unfamiliar with the play could understand the continual struggle of the worker. Kollwitz began work on A Weavers' Rebellion in 1893, and exhibited the six images of the series five years later.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Selbstbildnis im Profil nach rechts (Self-Portrait in Profile towards Right) collections.artsmia.org/art/43437

Kollwitz created numerous self-portraits throughout her career, including this one completed when she was 71 years old. In the last two decades of her life, the artist turned increasingly to the medium of lithography, which she uses here with great ease. This particular print was not signed by the artist, but by her son Hans Kollwitz. He annotated the work, "from the estate of KŠthe Kollwitz."

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Self-Portrait, Hand at the Forehead www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/s…

Self-Portrait, Hand at the Forehead

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Memorial for Karl Liebknecht www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

In "Memorial for Karl Liebknecht," Käthe Kollwitz captures the somber scene of mourners gathered around the radical socialist leader’s bier. Utilizing strong lines and contrasts, the woodcut powerfully conveys grief and reverence, reflecting Kollwitz’s deep empathy and commitment to social and political issues.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The Unemployed kokoelmat.fng.fi/app?si=RAMSAY+120

"The Unemployed" by Käthe Kollwitz is a poignant etching depicting the despair of joblessness through the somber portrayal of a seated woman holding a child beside a despondent man. Kollwitz, known for her empathetic focus on social issues, uses strong, expressive lines to highlight the emotional weight of economic hardship.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Solidarity www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

"Solidarity" by Käthe Kollwitz is a powerful lithograph depicting a group of individuals linked arm in arm, symbolizing strength and unity among the working class. Known for her poignant social commentary, Kollwitz uses expressive lines and somber tones to convey a profound sense of communal resilience and activism.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Hospital Visit www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

Käthe Kollwitz's "Hospital Visit" powerfully captures the somber reality of illness and the intimate bond between family members in times of distress. The stark contrasts and expressive lines typical of her woodcut technique convey deep emotion and social commentary on the human condition.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The Carmagnole www.artic.edu/artworks/149054

Margaret Fisher Endowment

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

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

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.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Pietà www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/p…

Käthe Kollwitz's "Pietà" is a poignant lithograph capturing a figure tenderly cradling a lifeless body, evoking themes of mourning and maternal grief. Known for her powerful depictions of loss and social issues, Kollwitz created this work amidst the backdrop of early 20th-century turmoil.

Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The Widow I (Die Witwe I) www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollecti…

"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.

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Käthe Kollwitz @kkollwitz.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Need www.wikiart.org/en/kathe-kollwitz/n…

Käthe Kollwitz's artwork "Need" powerfully depicts the despair and struggles of poverty, highlighting an emotionally distressed figure in a dimly lit, cluttered room. Her use of light and shadow emphasizes the somber atmosphere, reflecting her profound empathy for the oppressed and her lifelong commitment to social justice through art.