Le Transporteur 1906

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made "Le Transporteur" using lithography, a printing technique where an image is drawn on stone or metal and then transferred to paper. The stark contrast of light and shadow emphasizes the laborer’s physical exertion, and the weight of his work. Steinlen skillfully uses the lithographic crayon to create a grainy texture, suggesting the grit and grime of industrial labor. The rough, unfinished quality of the print further conveys the rawness of the subject matter, and the back-breaking work that the man endures. The tools and materials he carries are rendered with a sense of mass and volume, underscoring their physical presence. Steinlen's choice of lithography, a medium accessible for mass production, connects this image to broader social issues of labor and class, as well as the sheer labor involved in its own creation. The artist is not separate from the man he depicts. The work becomes a powerful social commentary.