Nu Allonge 

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this drawing of a reclining nude using soft black chalk, a humble material with a surprising capacity for expression. The artist coaxes a range of tonal values from the chalk, from the soft highlights on the model's skin to the deep shadows that define the contours of her body and the rumpled bed beneath her. You can see the texture of the chalk in the grainy surface of the drawing, a testament to the direct contact between the artist's hand and the paper. Steinlen's choice of material speaks to a broader artistic interest in the everyday. Though he was a skilled academic painter, he embraced printmaking and drawing as a means of capturing the realities of modern life. The immediacy of chalk allowed him to quickly sketch scenes of working-class Parisians, imbuing his art with social relevance. By focusing on the materiality and making of this artwork, we can appreciate its connection to the world beyond the art gallery, and Steinlen's commitment to portraying the lives of ordinary people.