Käthe Kollwitz

Inspiration

Käthe Kollwitz

On recent trips to the A.G.O., we were able to behold the extraordinary charcoal drawings, etchings, and sculptures of Käthe Kollwitz, which are currently on display as part of a three-part series. In numerous macabre and gestural yet naturalistic portraits, Kollwitz renders the plight of the poor, working class, and women in early-20th century Germany. With her dark, monochromatic style, her subjects undergo scenes of quotidian brutality, often at the hands of monstrous figures that seem to lurk behind every corner. These images demand sympathy and justice from the viewer as they expose the grim reality of people who live on the margins.

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