Portrait of the artist's daughter 

This portrait of the artist’s daughter was drawn by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen using charcoal. Charcoal is a humble material; it’s literally burnt wood, a residue of destruction. But it’s also incredibly versatile. Notice the range of tones Steinlen achieves, from the soft shadows on her face to the dark, almost smudged areas that define her hair. The application is crucial here. You can see Steinlen using the side of the charcoal stick to create broad, soft areas of tone, and then bearing down on the tip to make sharper, more defined marks. Steinlen was deeply engaged with social issues, particularly the lives of working-class people in Paris. Even in this intimate portrait, you might consider the labor involved, both in the making of the artwork itself, and in the life of the sitter, who may well have worked to support herself and her family. Paying attention to the materials and the making process opens up a richer understanding of the artist's intent, bridging the gap between the personal and the political.