Aicha 1917

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this drawing of Aicha with pencil and charcoal, layering those marks to create a sense of depth and shadow. You can really see the push and pull of the medium here, the way the artist has built up the image through repeated applications and erasures. It feels like an intimate conversation between the artist and the paper. Look at the way Steinlen uses the charcoal to define the contours of Aicha's body, especially the curve of her back and the delicate lines of her limbs. There's a real softness to the shading, almost like a caress. Then notice the contrast with the background, where the charcoal is much more dense and gestural. It's like he's creating a kind of dream space around her. The drawing reminds me a little of Degas. Both artists were interested in capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life, and in using unconventional compositions to create a sense of immediacy. But where Degas often focused on the spectacle of the stage, Steinlen seems more drawn to the quiet intimacy of the boudoir. Art is an ongoing conversation, don’t you think?