a wonderful impression from the very scarce edition of only 30 impressions printed in brownish black on cream Japan paper published by Richter ca.1920; with full margins
in pristine condition
although Kollwitz originally etched the plate in 1912, she worked on it, changing small details, through seven states before it was used as a frontispiece for the book on Käthe Kollwitz prints by Johannes Sievers published by Emil Richter in 1913, of which 50 signed impressions printed in brown were included in the deluxe edition and another few hundred, unsigned, printed in red/brown in the ordinary edition; Richter retained the plate and published a further 60 signed impressions, 30 on Japan paper (as is ours) and 30 on copperplate paper; there were thus only 110 signed impressions issued
von der Becke acquired the plate in 1931and published a number of unsigned editions but the plate was by then 'printed out' and these impressions show a marked difference to the Richter printings; the technique used in etching the plate was innovative; Kollwitz drew the image on Zieglers laid paper and this was applied to the plate and etched through, leaving the wire lines of the paper as part of the image