Barlach / Kollwitz

The collection of works by the two great German expressionist artists, Ernst Barlach and Kathe Kollwitz, has been presented by the Peter Stuyvesant Trust for the Development of the Arts.

It contains fifteen pieces of sculpture and two prints by Barlach, and twelve pieces of sculpture and sixteen prints by Kollwitz. Ernst Barlach (1870–1938) is famous for his woodcuts, lithographs and drawings, and revived the craft of woodcarving, ensuring its recognition as an art form. Kathe Kollwitz (1867–1945) was an admirer of Barlach and produced lithographs and woodcuts, though her favourite technique was etching.

Barlach and Kollwitz regarded art as a vehicle for feeling humanistic commitment rather than as an end in itself. Their work expresses their strong individual personalities and, bearing in mind that most of their work was rejected by the Nazi regime, it was a brave and daring plea for human compassion and understanding.

Never before has any art exhibition enjoyed a two years’ tour in Australia and it is indicative of the importance and emotional impact of the work of these two artists.

The prints in this exhibition have been kindly lent by the Art Gallery of South Australia, The Flinders University of South Australia and The Western Australian Art Gallery and will be shown in Adelaide, Hamilton, Melbourne, Hobart and Launceston. The Peter Stuyvesant Trust wishes to thank these Institutions for their loan and also acknowledge the assistance of Mr. Barry Pearce, Curator of Prints and Drawings, The Art Gallery of South Australia, who assembled the prints.

Each venue will exhibit additional prints, if available, both from their own and private collections.

Sourced from: Exhibition press release