Käthe Kollwitz

Käthe Kollwitz is often cited as the most celebrated German female artist. Her hands and feet in her works capture the essence of the plight of everyday human endeavor. She was rediscovered during a trip to Berlin, at the Neue Wache, where Haake's 4x version of her Pietà (Mutter mit totem Sohn), 1937-39, was displayed. In this work, the faces and hands capture grief and love, instantly portraying the stories of those who sacrifice in war and conflict. Mary and Elizabeth, 1928, is considered one of her finest woodcuts, and perhaps one of her more uplifting moments, envisioning "solemn and holy" faces emerging from the darkness of the filed softwood. Yet, the eyes are drawn again to the hands, which cup the anticipated comings as depicted in Luke 1:41.