Aupres de Ma Blonde 

Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen made this print, "Aupres de Ma Blonde," with lithography, a process intimately tied to the rise of mass media. Lithography allowed artists to create images on a flat stone or metal plate, transferring ink to paper through a printing press. The medium was revolutionary because it allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images, democratizing art and flooding the market with affordable prints. Steinlen skillfully employed the lithographic process to capture fleeting moments of modern life. The quick and spontaneous lines made possible by lithography allowed him to depict the energy of Parisian street scenes with remarkable immediacy. The texture and tonal variations achieved through lithographic crayons give the image a sense of depth and atmosphere, drawing the viewer into the bustling crowd. Steinlen’s work, made possible by industrial innovation, challenges traditional notions of artistic value by blending artistic expression with the realities of mass production.