A sombre and atmospheric etching by Käthe Kollwitz, depicting figures gathering weapons in a dark, vaulted space during the German Peasants' War.

Käthe Kollwitz produced this work as part of her series titled Peasants' War (Bauernkrieg), which depicts the historical German Peasants' Revolt of the sixteenth century. The composition captures a group of figures gathering weapons within the confines of a dark, vaulted cellar. Kollwitz employs a heavy use of shadow and light to create a sense of claustrophobia and urgency. The figures are partially obscured by the gloom, their faces and forms emerging from the darkness through the application of aquatint and etching techniques.

The scene focuses on the physical preparation for conflict. The verticality of the spears and scythes held by the figures draws the eye upward, contrasting with the low, heavy architecture of the vault. Kollwitz avoids idealising the subjects, choosing instead to portray their desperation and resolve through rough textures and dense, murky tones. The technical execution relies on the interplay between the etched lines and the tonal washes of the aquatint, which together produce a sombre atmosphere. This print demonstrates the artist's ability to convey human suffering and collective action without resorting to overt sentimentality. The work remains a significant example of her technical mastery in printmaking, specifically her use of tone to define space and mood in a narrative context.