German painter, printmaker and sculptor Käthe Kollwitz was born in Prussia in 1867. Her father noticed her talent early in life and arranged lessons for her in drawing and plaster casting. Around age 16, she began to draw people she met in her father’s workplace, including female peasants, working people and sailors – a theme she continued throughout her career. At the time, general colleges were not open for women to enroll, so she joined a women’s art school in Berlin, meeting Max Klinger, who became a key inspiration to her future work.
