Ces Mufles D'Hommes 

This is a sheet music cover called 'Ces Mufles D'Hommes', or 'These Brutes of Men!', created by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen. Steinlen was a Swiss-born French artist whose work often reflected his socialist and humanitarian views. The piece, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century, is a commentary on gender relations and perhaps class, during the Belle Époque in France. The title itself suggests a critique of men, while the image depicts a man in a top hat leaning in towards a woman. Is this unwanted attention? The woman's posture and the song's title could imply a critique of male behavior. Steinlen often depicted the lives of ordinary people, and this image seems to capture a moment of social interaction, laden with underlying tensions of power and gender dynamics. The seemingly simple illustration opens up into a broader discussion about the roles and expectations placed upon men and women in society at the time. This work invites us to consider the ways societal norms and expectations shape our interactions and perceptions.