Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945) was one of the leading artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
24 March — 17 June 2018
Room 3
Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945) was one of the leading artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, notable for the emotional power of her drawing, printmaking and sculpture.
She lived an intensely examined life, expressed in her numerous self-portraits, diaries and correspondence; at the core of this existence was her work as an artist and a mastery of graphic art which quickly established her reputation in Germany, then further afield as her influence spread internationally after the First World War.
Kollwitz’s unique artistic talent, her technical prowess and intelligence, and above all her humanity, can be seen in this exhibition. She was refreshingly unpretentious, keen to reach as many as possible, the general public as well as art specialists, and content that her art “should have purposes outside itself.”
There is much about the life and work of Kollwitz that instils hope, that is inspiring and life affirming, despite the burden of hardship and sorrow carried by so many of her figures and by herself. Her emphasis was often on what was distinctive about women’s experience, including the fundamental nature and potency of maternal love. She believed that art could be a force for good in society.
The exhibition is organised in partnership between Ikon and the British Museum and is generously supported by the Dorset Foundation and is accompanied by a fully illustrated publication.
