La Terme Franco-Russe 1897

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen rendered 'La Terme Franco-Russe' in ink, a snapshot of societal tensions simmering beneath the surface of late 19th-century Europe. The artwork encapsulates the Franco-Russian alliance against the backdrop of rising nationalism. A family is being evicted, their belongings hastily bundled, and the scene is overseen by a stern-faced official. But note the child at the front, clinging to both the French and Russian flags: this symbolizes the fragile union between the two nations, an alliance born of political necessity. Steinlen, working in France, likely intended a subtle critique of the era's jingoistic fervor and the human cost of political machinations. To fully appreciate Steinlen’s social commentary, one might delve into publications such as "Le Mouvement Socialiste" to place him among the leftist artists of his time. Art, in this context, serves not just as aesthetic expression but as a potent form of social commentary.