Street Scene n.d.

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen’s ‘Street Scene’ is a drawing rendered in crayon, an everyday material. The image presents a snapshot of urban life, with figures sketched quickly, yet expressively. Steinlen's choice of crayon, rather than traditional fine art media like oil paint, has a significant impact, influencing its appearance with its inherent qualities of texture and directness. The medium lends itself to capturing fleeting moments, the kind of raw observations that Steinlen excelled at. The artist's technique involved layering strokes of color to build up form and atmosphere. This approach adds depth to the scene, while retaining a sense of immediacy. There’s a considerable amount of work and skill in this piece. It shows Steinlen’s alignment with social realism, which sought to portray the lives of ordinary people, often laborers. By elevating everyday materials, and focusing on the lives of the working class, Steinlen challenges the conventional hierarchy between fine art and craft, prompting us to consider the social context and the value of labor.