Exodus (L'exode) 1916

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this print, Exodus, and it feels like a series of decisions around mark making, a process of addition and subtraction. The lines are like nervous energy, aren't they? Look at how Steinlen uses the etched line to create a sense of texture and weight. The figures are huddled together, but they’re also isolated by these tiny hatching marks that define them, and it makes the whole scene feel heavy, burdened. Notice how the lines in the sky are all diagonal, pushing down, it makes me feel like I'm being crushed. That single tree on the horizon feels so fragile, like a last hope amidst all this darkness. The artist, Steinlen, had a great sense of the political and social issues of his time, much like Kathe Kollwitz, so maybe this piece reflects his political sensibilities. Maybe it’s about poverty, displacement, or just the hard realities of life, who knows? Art isn't always meant to be pinned down, is it?