The artwork titled “Bread!” by Kathe Kollwitz, created in 1924, embodies the medium of lithography on paper. Emblematic of the Expressionism movement, it falls under the genre of genre painting. Currently housed in the British Museum in London, UK, this piece poignantly captures a moment of human struggle and despair.
In the artwork, a woman, her face obscured, clutches two children who appear to be in distress. The central figure, likely a mother, leans over, possibly in a gesture of exhaustion or deep concern. One child clings to her, almost hanging on her side, while the other reaches up tearfully, as if pleading for attention or sustenance. The monochromatic tones and the raw, vigorous lines emphasize the emotional gravity of the scene, evoking a sense of urgency and anguish. Kollwitz’s signature at the bottom, alongside the word “Bread!”, underscores the theme of hunger and the dire need for basic sustenance, reflective of the social hardships of the period.
