Study for Premier Shampooing d’Absalon 1891

Alphonse Mucha created this preparatory sketch, Study for Premier Shampooing d’Absalon. It depicts a scene in a barber shop. The setting offers a glimpse into the rituals of male grooming and the social dynamics within a turn-of-the-century salon. Mucha’s sketch captures not just the physical act of a shampoo but also the subtle performances of masculinity. The client, draped in a cloth, becomes the center of attention, while the barbers attend to him. Mucha’s careful rendering of the figures allows us to consider the role of service labor and the dynamics of class. The barbers are diligent, their faces etched with concentration. It's a space where appearances are crafted and identities are refined. There is a sense of anticipation, a moment of transformation. It suggests the salon is a microcosm of society, where norms are reinforced and the self is continually negotiated.