Chanson Frêle

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen’s “Chanson Frêle” of 1897 captures the lively spirit of fin-de-siècle Paris through the versatile medium of lithography. Steinlen, a Swiss-born artist who settled in Montmartre, became celebrated for his graphic work that blended illustration, poster design, and social observation. Lithography allowed artists to create bold, reproducible images with fluid lines and rich tonal contrasts, making art more accessible to a growing urban public during the Belle Époque. The title “Chanson Frêle,” or “Frail Song,” suggests a delicate, perhaps wistful theme that may have a...

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...