Tu nous fais _uer avec ton Csar, est-ce qui t'fera jamais gagner de quoi boire un verre!... n.d.

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen rendered this ink and watercolor drawing, capturing a moment of everyday life in late 19th-century France. Central to the composition are the two working-class figures holding glasses, sharing a drink in what seems like a bar setting, their exchange pregnant with unspoken stories of labor and camaraderie. The act of drinking, here, transcends mere sustenance, embodying social cohesion and escape. I am reminded of ancient symposiums, and the role of wine in classical art. It is inebriation, but also communion. Even in our own era, such scenes echo in photography, cinema, bearing witness to the timeless human need for connection and momentary respite from the toils of daily existence. Consider the shared drink as a symbol of empathy, a gesture laden with the weight of shared experience. The image becomes a powerful reminder of our collective past, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The motif has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings, a cyclical progression in different historical contexts.