June 23, 2016

Kathe Kollwitz (1867-1945), The Widow I, 1923, woodcut, 18 1/8 x 12 13/16 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art.
Today is International Widow’s Day, established as an annual commemoration of “the poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents in many countries.”

This piece from the MOA Collection by German artist Kathe Kollwitz is part of the Widow series of woodcut prints she did in response to the horrors of World War I. While she herself was not a widow, she lost her sons in the war. She was deeply affected by this and began her Widow series to represent the pain of those losing their loved ones in war. Learn more about Kathe Kollwitz on our blog.