Philadelphia Museum of Art
September 2011
Run Over
Germany, 1910
Etching, soft ground
Kathe Kollwitz (1867-1945)
Prints, Drawings, Photographs
PMA online collection (currently not on display)
This week’s object is an etching by German artist Kathe Kollwitz. This work is important to me because it is by my favorite artist. Kollwitz is known for her depictions of emotional and harsh mother and child scenes. She represented scenes of poverty and hardship that most people chose to overlook.
The love and sorrow a mother feels over the loss of her child are seen in Run Over. Kollwitz captures an honest moment of community in a rarely seen genre style. This image would be important to mothers and anyone who has ever lost a loved one. It is painful and reassuring simultaneously.
Unfortunately, this object was not on display at the PMA, however it can be found in the online collections database. It was acquired from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts as part of a gift from Muriel and Philip Berman.
With the technology of the PMA’s online database it is easy
to see this image in great detail.
Viewers can zoom in to this image with great clarity to see the details
of Kollwitz’s technique. In
addition to Run Over viewers can
search for other works that are comparable, either in technique, content, or
general themes, giving them the freedom to understand works in different
way. This online option allows
viewers to look at art a more analytical and critical way then while in the
gallery.
Understanding
and studying Europe at the turn of the 20th century would enrich a
viewers understanding and appreciation of this work. Most study of history involves major events and significant
historical figures. Kollwitz
brings the lower, sometimes-unappreciated classes to life. Also studying the unique technique
Kollwitz uses would bring a unique appreciation to her work. Bold yet simple strokes and textures
bring the figures to life through the emotion in the work.
Children
may not be interested in this object however because of it’s mature content and
dark style. Using this image as a
comparison to other emotional images, perhaps happy or angry images would be
another way to engage a variety of viewers.
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