La Nuit Possibly 1895

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen created this lithograph, titled 'La Nuit', using ink on paper. The print's central figure, shrouded in darkness, trudges wearily through a night-time urban landscape. Made in France, a period marked by rapid industrialization and stark social inequalities, the image speaks to the lives of the working class. The figure's hunched posture and heavy gait suggests exhaustion and the weight of their daily struggles. Steinlen was interested in popular entertainment, but also in the grim realities of city life and the ways in which these contrasted. To understand this artwork better, one could research the socio-economic conditions of late 19th-century Paris, the rise of social realism in art, and the role of printmaking in disseminating political messages. Art is never created in a vacuum, and considering the historical and institutional forces at play can deepen our understanding.