Mutter am Bett des toten Kindes 1911

Kathe Kollwitz made this drawing with charcoal, capturing a mother at the bed of her dead child. The marks are all short, scratchy, and nervous, building up the image bit by bit, like a storm of feeling. You can almost feel the weight of the charcoal on the page. The texture is everything here; it’s not about smooth lines but about how the light catches on the rough surface of the paper. This is not a sweet Madonna and child: it’s raw grief, etched in black. Look at the way Kollwitz uses shadow to suggest the mother’s face—the hollows of her eyes, the set of her jaw. It's like she's trying to disappear into the darkness, to merge with the sorrow. This piece reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist who wasn't afraid to tackle difficult subjects with unflinching honesty. Both artists remind us that art isn't always about beauty, but about truth, and sometimes, truth is painful. Kollwitz embraces that pain, turning it into something powerful and unforgettable.