Artwork
The Laundresses
The Laundresses is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Théophile Alexandre Steinlen. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: Steinlen; on reverse: 1899
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed in 1899, The Laundresses is an oil painting on canvas by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen.
Executed in 1899, The Laundresses is an oil painting on canvas by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen. The work measures 83.2 cm in height and 68.2 cm in width. As a painted composition, it utilizes traditional oil pigments applied to a woven fabric support, a standard medium for late nineteenth-century European easel painting.
The piece currently resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., having entered the institution as a gift in 1954.
History & Provenance
Théophile Alexandre Steinlen created the oil painting The Laundresses in 1899. The work's documented ownership history begins with a sale by S.G. at the Hôtel Drouot in Paris on April 27, 1929, where it was listed as lot 127. Following this auction, the painting was handled by the Galerie Étienne Bignou, which operated in both Paris and New York.
Later in 1929, Chester Dale of New York acquired the piece through the Bignou gallery. Dale retained ownership until his death, after which the work was given to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1954.
Overview
Created in 1899, The Laundresses is an oil on canvas by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, a Swiss‑born artist who worked in France. The work belongs to the period when Steinlen was active in socially conscious art, aligning with the Art Nouveau aesthetic while addressing everyday labor.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a group of women in a narrow, brick‑paved street, each bearing a large white bundle on her back. Dressed in dark dresses and white aprons, their heads are bowed and faces hidden, emphasizing collective toil rather than individual identity. The somber atmosphere underscores the hardships faced by working‑class laundresses at the turn of the century.
Context
At the close of the 19th century, urban laundresses were a visible element of Parisian street life, often employed under demanding conditions. Steinlen’s choice to portray them aligns with contemporary concerns about industrialization, gendered labor, and the plight of the urban poor.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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.
