The Sick Child 1902

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen made "The Sick Child" using lithography. Imagine Steinlen standing over the lithographic stone, grinding the crayon into its surface, again and again. This image is all about weight, and the crushing weight of worry. The mother is hunched over, almost caving in on herself, protecting the vulnerable bundle in her arms. I wonder what it was like for Steinlen to make this image. What thoughts and feelings passed through him as he rendered the scene? The dark blacks are so resonant, so absolute. He’s working with such simple means, just light and dark, to convey this universal emotion. There are artists like Kathe Kollwitz who have used similar tones to talk about suffering and the social realities of the working class. When artists make work, they are always talking to each other, across time. Steinlen's image reminds us of that ongoing dialogue. It speaks to the enduring power of art to capture the human condition.