Le Petit Sou 1900

"Le Petit Sou" is a poster created in 1900 by the French artist Théophile Steinlen, known for his Art Nouveau style and depictions of Parisian life. The poster features a dramatic scene of a woman in a red dress, reaching out towards a chained shackle, while a man with a pickaxe sits in the foreground. This image is likely a representation of the struggles of the working class in Paris at the turn of the century, with the woman symbolizing the plight of the poor and the man representing the burden of labor. The poster was originally designed to advertise the socialist newspaper "Le Petit Sou," which advocated for the rights of the working class. This artwork is a powerful example of Steinlen's ability to capture the social and political issues of his time, making it a valuable artifact of turn-of-the-century French society.