Brief aan Ninon

About this artwork

lithografie in roodbruin op Japans papier

Art Historical Context

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen’s “Brief aan Ninon” (1897) is a striking example of late-nineteenth-century lithography. Swiss-French artist closely associated with the Art Nouveau movement and the bohemian circles of Montmartre, Steinlen frequently turned to printmaking to reach wide audiences with images drawn from everyday Parisian life. Here the medium is used with particular refinement: the design is printed in a warm reddish-brown ink on delicate Japanese paper, a support prized for its smooth surface and subtle texture that allows fine lines and tonal gradations to register beautifully. M...

About the Artist

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, born on November 10, 1859, in Lausanne, Switzerland, hailed from a family with artistic roots; his grandfather, Christian Gottlieb Steinlen, was a painter and draftsman. After two years studying theology at the University of Lausanne, he trained in industrial ornamental drawing in Mulhouse under Schoenhaupt and worked as a designer trainee at a textile mill. Encourage...