Vier Manner in der Knelpe by Kathe Kollwitz

This is a etching titled Vier Manner in der Knelpe (Four Men in a Tavern) by one of the leaders of the German Expressionist movement, Kathe Kollwitz. The work was created in 1892-93. It has the dark mood so typical of Kollwitz's work. Light comes from a window at the front of the tavern, but the rest of the scene is in deep shadow. One figure in the center of the image is only seen as a shadow. The three other men are positioned by the artist so that some light falls on their faces--not enough to actually identify them, but to have the eye of the viewer move in to examine their features. A server is entering from the left. It is probably a woman based on the hair, but Kollwitz keeps the face in shadow. This is very typical of her work. The mood of her pieces is dark and foreboding. One can't help but wonder if the four men are conspirators in some plot given how they lean in perhaps to whisper their plans. These approaches to making art represent the seeds of German Expressionism--a movement that Kollwitz played an important role in defining. The piece itself is unframed. The sheet size is 11 x 9.5 inches. The plate size is 6.38 x 5.13 inches. It is very well struck and inked. In addition to etching and drypoint, she also used a sandpaper imprint in the ground to give the image a gritty textural feel. The publishers blind stamp is impressed at the lower right of the image. This etching is annotated as Klipstein 1955 12 IIIb and Knesebeck 2002 15. The etching is in very good condition for its age. There is some toning of the image, but it doesn't impact the image much and could be managed with careful matting. Otherwise there are no condition issues including no tears, paper loss, stains, foxing, or fading. A great example of the early work by this incredible artist.

Kollwitz was born in 1867 and died in 1945 shortly before the end of WWII. There are many Kollwitz biographies available but for me, it is important to note that Kollwitz used her art to advocate for victims of social injustice, war, and inhumanity. Given that during her lifetime the world suffered through two world wars, as well as many other conflicts, unfortunately there was no shortage of subject matter for her work.