Outbreak (sheet 5 of Peasants’ War )

Kollwitz was a special artist for Nishimoto Hiroshi, contributor of 1,749 works including this one to our Museum's collection. Kollwitz's prints, with their expression of warm regard for those at the bottom of the social scale, provided relief for Nishimoto, whose lifetime was marked by discord with his parents and siblings. Looking at the people suffering under severe social contradictions brought about as a result of Germany's rapid modernization, Kollwitz, rather than feeling pity or sympathy for such people, perceived them to be "beautiful" and consistently chose laborers or mothers with children as subjects for her works. This work is one in a series of seven works entitled "Peasants' War" depicting a peasant's uprising in 16th century Germany. The artist uses the historical setting to show the state of the German people in the early 20th century.