Ton Nez 

Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen rendered this print, Ton Nez, with ink and crayon. We see a couple strolling through a bustling city street. The woman, with her elaborate hat adorned with ribbons, is the focal point. Consider the hat itself. Across cultures, head coverings denote status, identity, and occasion. The ribbons might echo the celebratory garlands of ancient rituals, yet here, they are transformed into a marker of bourgeois fashion. We find similar adornments in Renaissance portraits, symbolizing wealth and refinement. However, in Steinlen’s modern context, these ribbons also carry a certain ambiguity. Are they merely decorative, or do they hint at a deeper yearning for connection and visibility? The couple’s averted gazes evoke a sense of urban alienation. This emotional tension is not unique to Steinlen’s time; it is a recurring theme, resonating across centuries and cultures, reflecting our collective, subconscious anxieties about belonging and isolation.