Mai 1871 1894

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen created "Mai 1871" using expressive strokes to convey intense emotion. The image is dominated by stark contrasts of black ink against the white of the paper, creating a dramatic visual field. The use of line is particularly striking, moving from thick, bold strokes that define the figure to thinner, more frantic lines that suggest movement and instability. The composition centers on a figure—a woman, perhaps—caught in a moment of distress or defiance. She is surrounded by a turbulent setting of jagged lines and ambiguous forms. The flag she holds, indicated by sparse outlines, seems to symbolize struggle and perhaps resistance. The figure's posture, with an open mouth and outstretched arm, conveys a sense of urgency. Steinlen's technique here, with its emphasis on expressive line and stark contrast, prefigures a modernist aesthetic concerned with affect and destabilizing fixed meanings. The rawness of the medium itself becomes a powerful tool for communicating complex emotions, challenging viewers to look beyond mere representation and to engage with the artwork's affective force. The image reminds us that art is constantly re-evaluated through differing theoretical lenses.