On Leave 1915 - 1917

This lithograph, made by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, probably around the time of the First World War, uses a simple but effective drawing technique. The marks are made with what looks like a soft crayon. Steinlen uses it to build up tone and texture. It gives the figures a soft, blurred quality, like a memory. Look at the way the artist renders the woman's coat on the left; he creates a dense, dark area with many small, hatched lines. The marks feel very immediate, intimate even, but he’s careful to leave some areas of the paper untouched, which creates a sense of light and air. The faces of the figures are particularly interesting, they seem unfinished, suggestive. There's something about the way the figures huddle together that reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz. Both artists capture a similar sense of human vulnerability, especially in times of hardship. Both artists embrace a kind of ambiguity, an openness to interpretation. In the end, it’s up to us to bring our own experiences and emotions to the work.