Kathe KollwitzCruelties of War

By Mrs. Romani and Mrs. Chen

Periods 5&8

“It is my duty to voice the sufferings of men, the never-

ending sufferings heaped mountain-high." 

What Art Movement is she a part of? Expressionism

Stressed the emotional and psychological expression of things.

In Käthe’s case, it was her reaction to the wars, working classes and mother and child bond.

Kollwitz, Käthe. The Mothers from War, 1920-21 [woodcut]. MoMA, New York.

Kollwitz, Käthe. War. 1920-21. Woodcut. MoMA, New York.

• High Contrast Black and White Print and Drawing.

• The left is a portrait of two figures that are sitting down and leaning on one another and the right is portrait of four adults and five children gathered very close to one another.

• Feelings of sadness, pain and loss are all present within these two works.

Kollwitz, Käthe. Death with a Woman in His Lap. 1920-21. Woodcut. MET, New York.

Kollwitz, Käthe. The Mothers, 1919. Charcoal on paper. MET, New York.

Analysis

Kollwitz, Käthe. The Mothers. 1919 . Charcoal on paper. Met, New York.

Background Middle Ground Foreground No Color, Gradients Sense of Space is

crowded, heavy

Cause and Effect (Flow Map # 2)

Relationship between title & subject matter.

A story of protection, loss & grief.

There is a direct relationship to the title, the subject matter and the artist’ life.

• Lost two sons in each of the wars • bond of Mother and child, cruelties of war, death)

The Mothers

BibliographyGilbert, Rita. Living with Art. New York: McGraw-Hill,

1998.