Three Companions (Les trois compagnons) 1912

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made this print of three figures, using etching, which gives it that scratchy, sort of anxious feel. The two figures standing there in the center, they're like a dark mass, talking, maybe arguing? They are gesturing outwards, perhaps at the third figure who is sitting alone. You can see every line, every little mark Steinlen made, digging into the metal plate with his tools, and I wonder what he was thinking about. Was he trying to show people who were down on their luck? Was this something that was a common sight for him in his everyday life, or was he imagining some kind of biblical scene? Look at the way he used those dry, scratchy lines to create depth, and to give the figures shape and form. There's a raw energy here. It connects to other printmakers who are making images of everyday life, of modern society. When we look at art, we are in dialogue with other artists across time, with their vision, and with their process. The way they choose to communicate can open up all sorts of meanings for us now.