The Bayly Art Museum, at the University of Virginia, has published online a wonderful exhibition called “The Power of Woe, The Power of Life” – ” Images of Women in Prints from the Renaissance to the Present”.

It takes an interesting feminist viewpoint as presented in the introduction, but for me it is of particular interest because these are prints – etchings, engravings, woodcuts and lithographs. The selected works are mostly by male artists, most notable of course being Durer & Picasso. I also love the clarity and crispness of Hendrick Goltzius’ engraving of The Holy Family, don’t miss this. There are works by some women artists too, like my idol Kathe Kollwitz … plus Isabel Bishop (great technique!) and a few others.

TIPS ON NAVIGATION: the easiest way to see all the images is to begin at the page with the gallery map, click on the word “entrance” (under “Enter Exhibition”) then click on the first image to get the full view and text info. When ready to move to the next one, click on words “next image” near the top left of the page, and continue thus.

Seeing Kathe Kollwitz’s works here reminded me how excited I was to see an exhibition of Kollwitz’s work in Bremen, Germany some years ago. It is so much more powerful in real life, though somber and still very timely today. I also saw her very moving sculpture, an enlarged reproduction of Mother with dead son (Pietà) in the Neue Wache (a War Memorial) on Unter den Linden, Berlin, (photo below).

Related links:
Printmaking techniques: here and here
Kathe-Kollwitz-Museum
Women in Art

Thanks to scribblingwoman (link expired) for the Bayly link.