Portrait de Madame Steinlen 

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this drawing of Madame Steinlen, probably in France in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s a sensitive portrait, made with soft lines. The downward gaze and loose strokes suggest a private moment of contemplation. Steinlen was known for his illustrations and posters depicting Parisian life, often focusing on the working class and the city's underbelly. He contributed to journals with strong political views, and he engaged with the social realities around him. Although less overtly political, this portrait still tells us something about social relations. The Steinlen family belonged to the Parisian Bohemian milieu, with its own cultural codes. This work is both an intimate portrayal of his wife and a product of the cultural and intellectual circles in which they moved. To fully understand this drawing, we might look into Steinlen's other works, the magazines he contributed to, and the broader artistic trends of his time. Art history thrives on this kind of contextual research, revealing the complex ways in which art reflects and shapes our world.