The MothersКете Колвиц · 1922

Identification of The Mothers by Käthe Kollwitz

The Mothers (*Die Mütter*) is a work by Käthe Kollwitz, created between 1921 and 1922. It belongs to the artist's War (*Krieg*) portfolio, which was published in 1923. This specific piece is part of a series of seven prints that address the human cost of conflict.

Kollwitz was born in 1867 in Königsberg, Prussia, and died in 1945 in Dresden, Germany. Her output during this period reflects a transition toward the emotional intensity and simplified forms characteristic of her later style. This work emerged from a period of profound personal and social upheaval in Germany.

Composition and Visual Elements of the Work

The composition is defined by a solid sculptural mass of women huddling together. This grouping forms a protective barrier around an infant held by one of the figures. Two children peer out from between the mothers' skirts, their eyes gleaming with paranoia. The figures are arranged to suggest a defensive and anxious state, creating a unified front against an unseen threat.

Pure black shadows fall across the faces of the women, emphasizing an ominous environment. These stark tonal variations highlight the figures as the primary sufferers of war. The heavy use of shadow and the density of the huddling forms create a sense of claustrophobic tension, focusing the viewer's attention on the physical and emotional weight of the group.

Technique and Physical Materials Used

This work is a woodcut executed in black ink. The medium is applied to a beige, moderately thick, smooth, wove paper. The composition is contained within an image area measuring 13 7/8 x 15 3/4 inches, while the full sheet dimensions are 18 11/16 x 25 9/16 inches.

The print is part of an edition ranging from 100 to 400 total copies. The physical presence of the woodcut relies on the stark contrast between the dark ink and the natural tone of the paper.

Historical Ownership and Museum Collections

The provenance of this work involves several significant private and institutional transfers. It was once part of the Helmut Goedeckemeyer collection, a substantial assembly of prints and drawings. The Arnhold Family provided this piece to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) through a gift.

Current holdings and institutional associations for this work include the Brooklyn Museum, where it is held as part of the Carll H. de Silver Fund. Additionally, the Cranbrook Art Museum maintains a connection to the work through the Peggy deSalle Gift.

Interpretations and Artistic Meaning

Part of the War portfolio, this work memorializes the anguish of those left behind by the First World War. The imagery focuses on the pain and sorrow of women who lost sons, husbands, and fathers to the conflict. Through these figures, the sequence mirrors a personal and political evolution from war supporter to pacifist. The composition emphasizes the profound bond between mothers and their children, as well as the solidarity found among women facing shared devastation.

The depiction of women huddling together functions as a form of resistance against a culture of military sacrifice. By portraying mothers protecting their children, the work addresses the vulnerability of the family unit threatened by violence and famine. The figures represent the universal suffering of those at home, transforming personal grief into a collective expression of mourning and defiance.

Related Works by the Same Artist

Kollwitz’s engagement with social struggle and the consequences of conflict is evident in her earlier graphic cycles. Between 1894 and 1898, she produced The Weavers Cycle, a series that addressed the desperation and revolt of Silesian weavers facing economic exploitation. This focus on the realities of the working class continued with The Peasants' War Cycle, created between 1902 and 1908, which explored themes of rebellion and oppression through the lens of 16th-century German history.

Her later output remains deeply connected to the themes of loss and survival. The Sacrifice was created in 1922, followed by The Survivors in 1923. These works continue the investigation into the human condition and the profound impact of war on the domestic and social spheres.