Woman With Dead Child Kollwitz

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There is no name for a mother who has to bury their own child. In Kathe Kollwitz’ artwork, Woman with Dead Child, viewers learn the agony and pain associated with losing a child. This artwork, crafted in 1903, grabs attention by expressing love, passion, and emotion over the simplicity of a human being. Viewers of this piece capture a shock and a heart-breaking feeling when first viewing the artwork. Suffering through love is a terrific way to describe Kollwitz’ artwork created by etching. Kollwitz’ has crafted various works characterized by war and death. Kollwitz’ artwork teaches feelings of remorse, shock, guilt, and passion through expressing the hardships of losing a child to the war and being associated with the working class during the war. Kathe Kollwitz, a German artist, was an inspiration to many. Kollwitz’ career began when she was a young …show more content…

An initial reaction to this artwork is a feeling of mourn with an explosion of emotions. At first, the artwork serves as a symbol of sorrow, despair, and melancholy. The title of the work adds a dry, bland sense to the meaning behind the drawing. Through observing the drawing more strenuously, the work becomes more of a symbol of war and a cry for help. The despair and troublesome times that the working class went through during war is characterized in this artwork. The mother is sketched in the nude, as she is barefoot. She sits with her legs crossed and caresses her fragile offspring with a sense of ownership. She lays her head on the child’s chest, as the child is characterized with no sudden movement. The mother’s face is defined by heartache and mourning. However, she is a symbol of strength. She is extremely robust, as her arms are defined by a large muscle mass and she grips the child with her strong, loving support. The mother serves as a symbolic figure of strength through her compassionate affection towards her