Champsaur - Lulu- Roman Clownesque

Curator: This is Théophile Alexandre Steinlen's 1901 drawing, "Champsaur - Lulu- Roman Clownesque," rendered with pen and ink. It has elements of Art Nouveau and Symbolism with the themes of figuration, eroticism and narrative art. What is your initial reaction? Editor: Macabre, yet somehow playful! I see this grinning woman riding what appears to be the Grim Reaper as a grotesque form of transportation, and there is even a barking dog prancing along! The starkness of the pen and ink certainly drives home the grim humor. Curator: Given the time it was made, let's consider the sociopolitical landscape. France was experiencing both booming industrial production but also an expanding population of working poor living in miserable conditions. Steinlen, associated with the bohemian culture of Montmartre, frequently portrayed the lives of the downtrodden in his art. Could this drawing be viewed as a social commentary? Editor: Absolutely, I think so! It is so bold of Steinlen to show death in such a lighthearted way, and in some way to show his contempt for it! It also emphasizes a strange kind of labor— the skeleton seems bound to serve the figure! She almost seems like she is using Death as a method of social mobility. Curator: Note how Steinlen uses the pen to create texture and depth, the rapid lines give life to what otherwise seems dead, while also playing into the caricature and dark humour present in the composition. Consider also that, outside of the central image of the woman and skeleton, Steinlen incorporates script from the era at the upper left of the drawing as well as including his signature in the lower right. Editor: The handwriting makes me think this was ripped straight out of a sketchbook! This drawing just embodies that sort of flippant, dark, and chaotic energy that Steinlen must have held. To look at death in this way makes the artwork into a bizarre parody. I wonder if that feeling of ironic and perhaps desperate humor, resonates in our present moment? Curator: That is a good question to consider. Ultimately, Steinlen offers a fascinating insight into mortality. What’s more, by uniting "high" art with elements of low brow or "kitsch", it allows us to reconsider value both inside and outside of artistic traditions. Editor: A powerful sketch indeed, one that lingers in the mind long after viewing. Thanks for sharing!