Mutter und Kind (Mother and Child) 1910

Editor: Right, let's talk about this etching. Wilhelm Lehmbruck’s *Mother and Child* from 1910. It’s…well, it’s a simple image, just lines really, but there’s this weight of tenderness, and also maybe a bit of sadness in the mother’s face. What do you see in it? Curator: Sadness, yes, absolutely! And a quiet strength. The curve of the mother's body, cradling her child, it reminds me of a willow tree in a storm – bending, but not breaking. See how the lines aren’t perfect? That's the German Expressionist movement seeping through; it is less about visual accuracy, more about raw emotionality, the emotional current connecting the mother and the child. Editor: It’s almost like the line quality mirrors the fragility of the moment. I mean, it’s an etching, so that rawness comes from the artist’s hand. Curator: Exactly! Lehmbruck scratches this profound connection right into the metal. And think about the time, 1910 – whispers of war, anxieties humming beneath the surface. Doesn’t it make you wonder if the mother’s sadness isn't also a reflection of the unease of the era? Editor: It’s hard to imagine that that peace could be soon destroyed. So the image embodies that particular historical time period, but you reckon motherhood is presented with broader associations? Curator: You've hit upon a subtle detail - there’s a universal, timeless quality here. The vulnerability of the child, the protective instinct of the mother – those resonate across centuries. Think of all the Madonnas throughout art history. I feel as though this artwork acts almost like the expressionist echo to that. What do you make of that feeling? Editor: It feels like a conversation, doesn’t it? This stripped-down, emotionally-charged response… Lehmbruck definitely gave us a lot to think about. Curator: Absolutely! It also inspires us to feel deeply as well, and if anything I shall hold onto that feeling. Thanks!