In 1901 Kollwitz joined the Berlin Secession. The exhibition policy of this group of artists opened up numerous opportunities for her to promote her work in Germany and abroad. In addition, her membership enabled her to get into contact with members such as Auguste Rodin and Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen who communicated with the Secession in writing. She would later, during her two stays in Paris in 1901 and 1904, visit these artists.
This colour lithograph is a self-portrait that was created under the influence of her first stay in Paris. For the design of her face, which emerges from the dark, she set highlights by scraping out areas on a shale stone that printed in brown.
