1912
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Return from the Wash House (Retour de lavoir) is a 1912 ink by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows three women walking together in a city. Their clothes are simple and worn, with one carrying a basket. The buildings behind them are rough and plain, drawn quickly. The lines are soft and smudged, like a hurried sketch. The women look tired but connected, their arms linked or resting on each other’s shoulders. The artist used loose, sketchy marks to show movement and mood. Next, check out the technique: aquatint to see how this shading effect works.
Théophile Alexandre Steinlen (November 10, 1859 – December 13, 1923), was a Swiss-born French Art Nouveau painter and printmaker. He was politically engaged and collaborated with the anarchist and socialist press.
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