Le repos du modèle 

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen created this drawing, "Le repos du modèle," with chalk, a humble material that lends itself to capturing the nuances of light and form. The choice of chalk, a readily available and relatively inexpensive medium, aligns with Steinlen's social sympathies. He often depicted working-class subjects, and this drawing, while seemingly focused on leisure, subtly hints at the labor involved in art creation, both for the artist and the model. The stark contrast between the model's skin and the white fabric beneath accentuates the play of light, giving a sense of weight and volume to the body. You can almost feel the texture of the chalk on the paper, each stroke a deliberate act of building form. Steinlen’s background in industrial design likely influenced his attention to detail, observing the fall of light and shadow and the rendering of textures. By focusing on the materiality of the drawing, we can move beyond conventional aesthetic appreciation and consider the social context, raising questions about labor, representation, and the artist's own position within the art world.