Au Bord de L'Eau 1901

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this drawing Au Bord de L'Eau, with what looks like pencil, and it's all about touch. I love the hatch marks, the way they build up tone, it reminds me of the way you slowly work into a painting, not all at once, but building it up slowly, letting it breathe. You can see the hand of the artist in every stroke, making it feel intimate. Look at the way the lines around the figure capture light and shadow, and the bush behind her is full of scribbly, chaotic energy. Those two tiny figures at the bottom really crack me up. They’re like commentators on the scene. Steinlen always captures everyday life with a certain humor, not unlike Daumier's lithographs with all those quick impressions and simple marks. Like them, this piece embraces looseness, an unfinished quality, which is where the fun is.