Original crayon and brush lithograph printed on velin paper. Hand signed "Käthe Kollwitz" in pencil, lower right. From the third state of three from stone ‘A’. Proofs such as this one were printed circa 1927 for the members of the Deutsche Kunstgemeinschaft (German Art Association). Stone ‘B’ included text for the poster version.

Image: 13 1/2" x 16 3/4", sheet: 20 1/16" x 23 15/16"
Catalogue reference: Klipstein 209; Knesebeck 217 A IIIb/III

This portrait of an unknown working class woman demonstrates the conflict faced by all working women in the modern era. Kollwitz also struggled between the requirements of her profession and her role as wife and mother. Luckily she could afford a servant who helped her around the house. This domestic help allowed Kollwitz the time to work on her art in the mornings. On one hand, Kollwitz expressed the desire to be free of domestic ties in order to be able to focus more intensely on her art. On the other hand, she also appreciated being needed by her husband and two sons. As a result of this conflict, a working class woman frequently appears as a subject in Kollwitz' art.