Sitzende Frau mit verschränkten Armen Possibly 1915

Curator: This pencil drawing, "Seated Woman with Folded Arms," believed to have been created around 1915 by Käthe Kollwitz, invites contemplation, don’t you think? The work currently resides here at the Städel Museum. Editor: Absolutely. Immediately, I sense a profound quietude. There's a visible struggle represented through the rough, almost frantic marks, a portrait imbued with what I can only describe as a deep sorrow. Curator: The context of 1915 is critical. This was during the First World War. Kollwitz lost her son Peter in 1914, a loss that deeply impacted her work. This drawing is more than just a portrait; it's a visual expression of grief and trauma experienced not only by Kollwitz herself, but felt by many during the years of war and revolution. Editor: Right, and it's fascinating how Kollwitz renders the figure almost dissolving into the background. It emphasizes a kind of internal collapse, echoing themes of fragility and marginalization. The work's formal elements highlight broader themes surrounding women, motherhood, loss, and the state. How would this have spoken to women in that socio-historical moment? Curator: Indeed. The sitter's folded arms might represent a protective stance but can also speak to a feeling of resignation. Kollwitz masterfully conveys the psychological weight borne by women during this period—experiencing significant changes in familial structures, gender roles, and visibility. Editor: It also draws me to broader socio-political questions about spectatorship—about how women are looked at, or not looked at, and what conditions govern how such gazes take shape. I think this work serves to both reveal and confront issues regarding marginality. Curator: It certainly resonates within broader cultural debates about memory and visibility and invites discussions about the socio-political constructs that govern personal expression. Editor: And yet, it seems so intimately personal. The roughness almost evokes a vulnerability. Kollwitz demands that we acknowledge the complex, layered identity of this individual within this fraught historical framework. A truly potent image. Curator: Agreed, it speaks volumes, softly yet resolutely, about enduring human experiences.