Woman and child 

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen sketched "Woman and Child" with what appears to be graphite on paper; a medium well-suited to capture the intimate bond between mother and child. Steinlen's career coincided with the Belle Époque, a period of optimism and progress in France, yet beneath the surface, social inequalities persisted. Steinlen’s focus on working-class subjects, particularly women and children, reflects his socialist sympathies and his desire to portray the lives of those often marginalized. In this sketch, the figures aren't idealized, rather, there is an implied sense of weariness in the mother’s posture. The child, close to her mother, seems to seek comfort or protection. This drawing speaks to the universal themes of motherhood and childhood but also hints at the specific hardships faced by working-class families in turn-of-the-century Paris. Steinlen seems to be saying something about the tenderness and vulnerability inherent in human relationships, offering us a glimpse into the everyday lives of ordinary people.