Effect of the setting sun 1902

This is Théophile Alexandre Steinlen's 'Effect of the Setting Sun,' here at the Art Institute of Chicago. The scene is almost swallowed by darkness, but the setting sun still manages to throw light onto the buildings in the background and glint off the surface of the river. I can almost imagine Steinlen down there by the water, squinting to capture the last rays of light. There’s something very satisfying about the contrast between the fine lines of the buildings, the bridge, the water, and the more heavily worked, shadowy foreground. The figures of the people on the bank are just shapes, really; they are consumed by the encroaching night. It reminds me of some of the late 19th century Impressionist and Post-Impressionist prints I've seen, where a scene is evoked with just a few lines. You can feel the air getting cooler and the end of the day.