Käthe Kollwitz: A Retrospective

This catalogue accompanies the first major exhibition on Käthe Kollwitz in the U.S. in more than thirty years, and the first presentation at a New York City museum.

In the early decades of the twentieth century, when many artists were experimenting with the language of abstraction and the leading figures were almost exclusively men, Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867–1945) achieved unlikely renown for her figurative prints focusing on the hardships of women and the working class. Convinced that printed art was the most effective organ of social criticism, she developed into one of history’s most outstanding graphic artists. Published in conjunction with the first major international loan exhibition of her work in the U.S. in more than thirty years, and the first major presentations at a New York City museum, this catalogue traces the development of Kollwitz’s career from the 1890s until her death in 1945, showcasing approximately 130 extraordinary and rarely seen examples of her work in prints, drawings, and sculpture.