Happy New Year 1893

Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen's "Happy New Year" (1893) is a striking lithograph that depicts a lone worker standing with a shovel, gazing at a distant industrial skyline. The rising sun, framed by a hazy sky, suggests the dawn of a new year, but the grim industrial scene hints at the harsh realities of working-class life. Steinlen was a renowned French artist known for his black and white illustrations, often depicting the struggles of the working class in Parisian society. This piece, now housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, exemplifies his social commentary through art.