The Sacrifice

Käthe Kollwitz

1922 (published 1923)

Woodcut on Japan paper

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A mother holds her baby protectively, her face etched with a deep, somber expression. The stark woodcut style emphasizes the raw emotion and connection between them. Several German artists tackled the theme of War during this explosive period in their country's history. Kollwitz's series of seven woodcuts is unique among these in that it does not focus on warfare per se, but on the women and children at home before, during, and after the battle. In these large-scale works she used the woodcut medium in a bold and graphic manner to convey her sorrow and anger at current events in Germany. The first print of the suite is this sheet in which a mother offers her newborn baby to the cause; this idea of sacrifice permeates the entire series. Gallery G266-G274 The Print and Drawing Seminar Fund