The Widow II Possibly 1922 - 1923

Käthe Kollwitz made this stark black and white woodcut print, The Widow II, using the forceful cutting of her tools to create a scene of sorrow and despair. I can imagine Kollwitz working on the block of wood, digging into it, wrestling with the material to bring forth the image she had in her mind's eye. It's a medium that demands a lot of the artist, physically and emotionally. And I’m wondering, what was it like to carve away at the wood, each cut a deliberate act of shaping grief and loss? The black ink becomes this heavy blanket, smothering everything, while the stark white of the figures emerges, like a scream in the dark. Looking at this print, I can see the influence of artists like Munch, whose raw emotional expression paved the way for Kollwitz. These artists are speaking to each other across time and space. Their conversation about life's most difficult experiences is ongoing. They made it, and now we respond, adding our voices to the mix.