Association de Malfaiteurs 1897

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen’s “Association de Malfaiteurs” is a drawing rendered in pencil and crayon. The inherent qualities of these materials—their capacity for shading, smudging, and blending—are fully exploited here. Steinlen uses the materials to create an atmosphere of shadowy intrigue, perhaps even menace. The rough texture of the crayon work contrasts with the smoother, more blended areas of pencil, creating a visual push and pull. The overall composition teeters towards abstraction, as the dark coats blend into one another. The use of drawing materials, rather than more ‘refined’ media like oil paint or sculpture, connects this work to a tradition of social commentary through printmaking. Images like this were often made in multiples, circulating widely and cheaply to comment on social conditions. Here, Steinlen implicates the bourgeoisie, suggesting the dangers of collusion and corruption in the upper classes. He also implicitly critiques the art world itself, by choosing deliberately ‘low’ materials to make his point.