The Mothers, 1921-22 (published 1923)
Käthe Kollwitzexpand_more
Woodcut on Japan paperexpand_more
The Print and Drawing Seminar Fundexpand_more P.71.145
Not on Viewexpand_more
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.
Details
- Title
- The Mothers
- Artist Life
- 1867–1945
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.71.145
- Provenance
- (Hauswedell); sold to MIA, 1971.
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Klipstein182 Vb/Vd; W.162
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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