Henri Riviere portrait 

This is Théophile Alexandre Steinlen's portrait of Henri Rivière, sketched with graphite. Steinlen, deeply rooted in the bohemian culture of Montmartre, was known for his social realism, and in many ways, this portrait encapsulates the shifting identities of the era. Rivière, an artist associated with Le Chat Noir cabaret, appears here not as a spectacle but as an intellectual, a modern man defined by his work and ideas. It is tempting to consider how class and artistic community intertwine here; Steinlen, an outsider by birth, captures Rivière, an insider, with a keen, empathetic eye. The emotional weight of the piece lies in its quiet intensity—Rivière’s gaze, though softened by the sketch medium, hints at the complexities of identity and representation at the turn of the century. This portrait resists the sensationalism of popular culture, offering a nuanced view of an artist within his milieu.