Plate from l'Assommoir (man leaning on bar) 1878

This is Gaston La Touche’s, Plate from L'Assommoir (man leaning on bar). Though the date of this etching is unknown, La Touche created it sometime during his career, which spanned from 1875-1913. Looking at this image, one can observe La Touche’s relationship to the literary and social currents of his time. He has illustrated a scene from Emile Zola’s novel L’Assommoir, a book known for its unflinching depiction of poverty and alcoholism in working-class Paris. The composition shows two men in what appears to be a bar setting. One figure, leaning against the bar, seems to be inebriated; his posture is slack, and his gaze is unfocused. La Touche’s image invites us to consider the social conditions that lead to despair and addiction, raising questions about class, labor, and the human cost of industrialization. This etching, while small in scale, reflects larger societal issues and invites a moment of empathy for those struggling on the margins.