T. A. Steinlen : La Misère sous la neige (Misery in the Snow), 1894

By STEINLEN T.A. (1859-1923)

Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859–1923)

La Misère sous la neige (Misery in the Snow), 1894

Original lithograph, coloured au patron (stencil-coloured, as issued), deluxe edition published by Édouard Kleinmann, Paris.

Monogrammed “P. P.” (Petit Pierre) in the stone at middle right, as issued; not hand-signed. Numbered “90” in pencil by the publisher, from the deluxe edition limited to 100 impressions, of which only 40 (nos. 61–100) were stencil-coloured. Publisher’s blind stamp of Éd. Kleinmann (Lugt 1573) lower left.

Dimensions:
Sheet: 45 × 41 cm — 17 ¾ × 16 ⅛ in.
Size of the image: 30.7 × 32.5 cm — 12 ⅛ × 12 ¾ in.

Condition: Very good condition; some handling creases and stains; unframed.

References: Crauzat, 134

A plate from Steinlen’s celebrated series of political lithographs for Le Chambard Socialiste, the anarcho-syndicalist weekly to which he contributed from its first issue in December 1893 until July 1894. To shield himself from prosecution at the height of the anti-anarchist crackdowns, Steinlen signed these biting social satires under the pseudonym Petit Pierre — hence the “P. P.” monogram in the stone. An endless procession of the poor — men, women and children of all ages — trudges through the falling snow; in the foreground, an old man lies lifeless, the white blanket of snow become his shroud. Reproduced in colours on the front page of Le Chambard Socialiste no. 5, 13 January 1894. Alongside the newspaper’s printing, the publisher Édouard Kleinmann issued a deluxe edition of each plate, identifiable by his blind stamp. These Chambard lithographs, in which Steinlen’s compassion for the working poor finds its most militant expression, have been compared to Daumier’s great political prints.

Original period impression of 1894, deluxe stencil-coloured printing published by Éd. Kleinmann.

Price : 250,00 € ( 285.00 USD )