Peasant War was Kollwitz’s second major cycle of prints, which occupied her from 1902 to 1908. She had been appointed to teach graphics at the Berlin School for Women due to the success of her previous print cycle, known as The Weaver’s Revolt. This next series was commissioned by the Association of Historical Art. The title refers to the violent uprising of peasants against their feudal lords and the church which took place in the early years of the Reformation in Southern Germany (1522–25). In a letter to a friend she noted that she had read The General History of the Great Peasant’s War written in 1841– 42 by Wilhelm Zimmermann and had become fascinated by the legendary figure known as Black Anna who was said to have incited the insurrection. Kollwitz noted that she identified with this character who appears in this print urging the peasants forward, arms raised over her head.
Renaissance thinkers encouraged individuals to question how things work, and scientists began to test these ideas with experiments during the Scientific Revolution.
