March of the Weavers, 1897
Käthe Kollwitzexpand_more
Etching and aquatintexpand_more
The William M. Ladd Collection Gift of Herschel V. Jones, 1916expand_more P.366
Not on Viewexpand_more
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.
Details
- Title
- March of the Weavers
- Artist Life
- 1867–1945
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.366
- Catalogue Raisonne
- K.44 V/VIII
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These 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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