Artwork
Self-Portrait at the Table (Selbstbildnis am Tisch)
Self-Portrait at the Table (Selbstbildnis am Tisch) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Käthe Kollwitz. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Self-Portrait at the Table (Selbstbildnis am Tisch) is an etching and aquatint print created by Käthe Kollwitz around 1893. The work depicts the artist engaged in quiet, focused activity at a table, set against a somber, dimly lit background.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of the print is Kollwitz herself, portrayed in a moment of concentrated work. The humble, subdued setting may reflect the artist's emerging interest in depicting everyday life and the struggles of the common people, themes that would become more pronounced in her later work.
Technique & Style
Executed in etching and aquatint, the print showcases Kollwitz's skill in achieving deep, expressive shadows and fine details. At this point in her career, her style was transitioning from realism towards a more expressive, proto-Expressionist approach.
History & Provenance
Created in 1893, this self-portrait precedes Kollwitz's notable cycles *The Weavers* and *The Peasant War*. Notable for her achievements, Kollwitz was later recognized as the first woman elected to the Prussian Academy of Arts and granted honorary professor status.
Context
While this work does not yet fully embody the overt social commentary of Kollwitz's later pieces, it situates her within a broader early 20th-century European artistic shift towards exploring the human condition and the everyday lives of the working class.
Legacy
As an early self-portrait by Kollwitz, *Self-Portrait at the Table* offers insight into the artist's technical experimentation and the genesis of her thematic preoccupations. It contributes to the broader legacy of Kollwitz as a pioneering female artist and a bridge between realism and Expressionism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Käthe Kollwitz (German pronunciation: born Schmidt; 8 July 1867 – 22 April 1945) was a German artist who worked with painting, printmaking (including etching, lithography and woodcuts) and sculpture.
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