Outbreak 1908

"Outbreak" is a 1908 lithograph by German artist Käthe Kollwitz, currently housed in the British Museum. The artwork depicts a harrowing scene of a plague, with a woman in the foreground desperately reaching out while a crowd of people rush by, likely fleeing the sickness. Kollwitz's signature style of raw, expressive lines and stark contrasts creates a powerful and deeply moving portrayal of human suffering, highlighting the chaos and despair of the event. This powerful work, typical of Kollwitz's oeuvre, explores themes of mortality and societal suffering in a way that deeply impacted viewers in the early 20th century.