The Art of Grief

On By Kim NolywaikaIn Culture & Worldview, Grief and Child Loss

Art, like music, interprets the great (and not-so-great) aspirations, emotions, and ideas of the human experience. Grief, being a universal and inescapable part of that experience, is a common creative theme and often expresses what mere words cannot. Here are a few selected works from around the world.

In this post:

  1. Melancolie by Albert György
  2. Grieving Parents by Kathe Kollwitz
  3. The Parents (Die Eltern) from War (Krieg) Käthe Kollwitz
  4. Peter Corlett’s ‘Grieving Mother’
  5. The Grieving Mother
  6. Death Art: 10 Masterpieces Exploring Grief and Loss
  7. The Grieving Mother by Bela Pratt
  8. Video – Andrea Bayer: Grief | Connections | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  9. Death and the Mother by Niels Hansen Jacobsen

Melancolie by Albert György

Romanian artist Albert György sculpted this piece after the loss of his first wife. It is displayed in a park alongside Lake Geneva, Switzerland.

Grieving Parents by Kathe Kollwitz

Grieving Parents
Artist: Käthe Kollwitz; Collection: Kerkhof Vladslo Diksmuide Photographer: Hugo Maertens

The Parents (Die Eltern) from War (Krieg) Käthe Kollwitz

(click to see image)

“Pain,” Kollwitz noted, “is totally dark.” This raw image portrays the profound grief of parents who, like the artist, lost a child to war. The two kneeling figures join together and cover their faces in agony; the lack of detail makes the image applicable to parental bereavement during other wars as well.

Peter Corlett’s ‘Grieving Mother’

Front Inscription
I had no skill to offer
I had no wealth to spend
Mine was a greater glory
I had a son to send
Silently the shades of evening gather round my lonely door
Silently they bring before me the face I shall see no more

The Grieving Mother

The Zallie Family donated and dedicated this statue in memory of their daughter Stacey.

Death Art: 10 Masterpieces Exploring Grief and Loss

The Grieving Mother by Bela Pratt

Bela Pratt’s 1914 “Grieving Mother” statue stands outside Washington Memorial Chapel, which is both a national memorial dedicated to General George Washington and an active Episcopal parish church in Valley Forge National Historical Park, a National Park Service site in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Video – Andrea Bayer: Grief | Connections | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Death and the Mother by Niels Hansen Jacobsen

Death and the Mother (Danish: Døden og moderen) is a sculpture created by the Danish sculptor Niels Hansen Jacobsen. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s tale The Story of a Mother

4 thoughts on “The Art of Grief”

  1. atimetoshare.me's avatar atimetoshare.me

    Kim I am so sorry to hear this. You have been a great inspiration through these years of blogging. I know you are a strong believer in God’s plans for us and his steadfast love. I will hold you in prayer and send hugs your way.

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      1. atimetoshare.me's avatar atimetoshare.me

        You have been a great inspiration for me as well as I prepared for this grieving process. We are so blessed to have a God who understands what we’re going through and has promised to be there for us. Cancer is an ugly disease and it plays no favorites. I will pray for you.

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