Sheet of Sketches: Men, Women and Cats (recto); Sheet of Sketches: Men and Women (verso)
1879/1923
Medium
Blue pencil and graphite, with pen and black ink (recto), bruch and black ink and blue pencil (verso), on cream wove paper
Dimensions
35.7 × 27.5 cm (14 1/16 × 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
graphite
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
113096
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Discover the lively energy of Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen's *Sheet of Sketches: Men, Women and Cats (recto); Sheet of Sketches: Men and Women (verso)*, a double-sided treasure from the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings collection. Created sometime between 1879 and 1923, this 35.7 × 27.5 cm sheet on cream wove paper captures Steinlen's keen eye for everyday humanity. The recto bursts with fluid blue pencil, graphite, and pen-and-ink figures of men, women, and playful cats, while the verso employs brush, black ink, and blue pencil for more men and women in motion. Steinlen, a Swiss-born artist who thrived in fin-de-siècle Paris, was renowned for his empathetic portrayals of working-class life and his iconic cat imagery, often seen in posters for the Chat Noir cabaret. These sketches exemplify his virtuoso draftsmanship—quick, gestural lines that blend graphite's subtlety with ink's bold strokes—revealing the preparatory genius behind his polished illustrations and prints. The mixed media on wove paper, prized for its smooth texture, allowed for versatile experimentation. This intimate artwork offers a window into Steinlen's creative process, highlighting how casual observations fueled his contributions to Art Nouveau and poster art, immortalizing the vibrancy of Belle Époque street scenes. A must-see for fans of dynamic figure studies!
About the Artist
Théophile-Alexandre Pierre Steinlen · 1859–1923
Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, born on November 10, 1859, in Lausanne, Switzerland, grew up in an environment steeped in artistic influence, with his grandfather serving as a drawing teacher in nearby Vevey. He studied literature at the University of Lausanne before working as a designer trainee in a Mulhouse textile mill. In his early twenties, around 1881, Steinlen married Émilie Mey, and the cou...