Käthe Kollwitz’s etching, “Woman with Folded Arms”, 1898

Käthe Kollwitz (aka [née] Käthe Schmidt) (1867–1945)

“Woman with Folded Arms” (“Frau mit übereinandergelegten”), 1898, published posthumously by Johanna and Bernhard von der Becke (fl.1958–1972) with the Von der Becke's three-line Berlin-Halensee blindstamp (see Iris Schmeisser’s account of the publication history of Kollwitz’s prints offered by the MOMA: https://www.moma.org/s/ge/collection_ge/artist/artist_id-20099_role-3_thumbs.html).

Etching, drypoint, aquatint and sandpaper printed in a warm black ink on heavy cream wove paper with wide margins and the thee-line Von der Becke blindstamp (“A. v. d. Becke/ Kunstverlag/ Berlin-Halensee”) at lower-right corner of the impression.

Size: (sheet) 45.7 x 37.8 cm: (plate) 29 x 23 cm; (image borderline); 28.1 x 22.1 cm.

State vi (of vi)

Klipstein 41 VI (August Klipstein 1955, “Käthe Kollwitz, Verzeichnis des graphischen Werkes”, Bern, Klipstein & Co, pp. 51–52, cat. no. 41 VI); Knesebeck 43 (Alexandra von dem Knesebeck 2001, “Käthe Kollwitz, Werkverzeichnis der Graphik”, Bern, Kornfeld).

The British Museum offers a description of this print in its third state: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1949-0411-3939.

Condition: a richly inked, strong and well-printed impression with generously wide margins as published. Apart from thinning verso where there was once mounting tape, the sheet is in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, stains or foxing.

I am selling this superb etching showing an extraordinary use of sandpaper to add gritty texture to the plate—see the area below the woman’s clasped hands—and the amazing treatment of shadows on the left side of the plate where a broad sweep of parallel lines gives an emotional tenor and visual ambiguity to what may be seen, for the total cost of AU$774 (currently US$596.76/EUR492.93/GBP422.74 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this remarkable etching exemplifying Kollwitz’s creative spark of invention to project an aura of presence and a suggestion of introspective reflection to the portrayed woman, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.