Vente de Charite 1916

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made 'Vente de Charite' in 1916, using conté crayon on paper. The rough, immediate quality of the drawing medium beautifully matches the subject's social and economic status. You can see the layering of the strokes, which allows Steinlen to model light and shadow, and add depth to the forms of the figures. The tooth of the paper grabs at the crayon, creating a slightly ragged effect, which gives a palpable sense of the men's hardship. It’s a work that acknowledges a raw, economic exchange, revealing the human condition within the throes of societal and political change. It reflects the labor involved not only in its making, but also the labor that is at the heart of its narrative. Paying attention to the materials and the making, allows us to break down traditional hierarchies between fine art and craft, inviting a broader understanding of the artwork within its social and historical context.