Storming the Gate - Attack, sheet 5 of the cycle »A Weavers’ Revolt«, 1893-1897

Line etching and sandpaper, Kn 37 II a

Käthe Kollwitz, Storming the Gate - Attack, sheet 5 of the cycle »A Weavers’ Revolt«, 1893-1897, line etching and sandpaper, Kn 37 II a, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

The fifth sheet in the cycle describes the arrival of the weavers in front of the manufacturer’s house. The men throw cobble stones at the villa-like house, handed to them by a woman. Others attack the splendid garden gate with their axes.

Unlike in Hauptmann’s play »The Weavers« where the group of weavers are offstage, but can be heard shouting their demands, Kollwitz created a visual depiction of the violent uprising. Women and their frightened children are seen in the foreground actively taking part in the revolt.

The gate and the wall, however, appear as an insurmountable barrier in this scene and hints at the doomed attempt of the weavers to storm the house.

Study

Käthe Kollwitz, Gartenmauer mit Eingangsportal, um 1896, Bleistift und Feder in Schwarz auf braunem Karton, NT 135a, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Käthe Kollwitz, Garden wall with gate, c 1896, pencil and pen, black ink on brown drawing cardboard, NT 135a

Address

Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

Neumarkt 18-24 / Neumarkt Passage

50667 Köln

+49 (0)221 227 2899

+49 (0)221 227 2602

Opening hours

Tue - Sun

11 am – 6 pm

Public holidays

11 am – 6 pm

First Thu each month

11 am – 8 pm

Mon

closed

Please note

The Käthe Kollwitz Museum's exhibition rooms are temporarily closed due to extensive renovation work.

zur Karte