Het portret van Jules 1876 - 1890

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen created this lithograph titled 'Het portret van Jules'. The printmaking process, a cornerstone of mass communication in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, democratized art, making it accessible to a broader public beyond the elite. Lithography, in particular, allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction, and was thus taken up as a means of circulating political ideas. Steinlen was deeply engaged with the social and political issues of his time, and here he uses this printmaking to show images of a portrait sitting. There is a performative aspect to the work, with its story-telling that highlights the material and economic conditions under which art is produced and consumed. The characters in the artwork underscore the labor involved in the creation of art, offering commentary on the relationship between artist, subject, and audience. By emphasizing the means of production and its social context, we appreciate the complex layers of meaning embedded within the lithograph.