To the True Poor: The Wicked Rich (Aux vrais pauvres: Les mauvais riches)

Art Historical Context

**To the True Poor: The Rich (Aux vrais pauvres: Les mauvais riches, a striking 1894 lithograph byophile Alexandre Steinlen, the artist's sharp social commentary on class disparity. Steinlen, a Swiss-born and poster artist active in fin-de-siècle Paris, was renowned for his empathetic depictions of the working poor, often infused with a socialist fervor. This print, part of the National Gallery of Art's Rosen Collection, contrasts the suffering "true poor" with thegent "wicked rich," reflecting the era's growing labor unrest and inequality amid France's Belle Époque prosperity. Rendered in bold black-and-white lithography—a technique Steinlen mastered for its fluid lines and tonal depth—the work exemplifies his affiliation with the graphic arts movement. Lithography allowed mass reproduction, making provocative messages accessible to the public, much like his iconic cabaret posters for Aristide Bruant. Here, Steinlen's expressive style, blending realism with caricature, heightens the moral urgency, urging viewers to confront societal divides. Housed in the museum's Prints department (CG-E), this piece highlights Steinlen's role in using art as activism, influencing later social realists and underscoring lithography's power in cultural critique during a transformative time.

About the Artist

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen · 1859–1923

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...