La mort des pauvres-Baudelaire

Steinlen combines monochrome crayon with selective colour accents, a method that heightens contrast while preserving the drawing’s decorative sensibility. The fluid, sinuous lines reflect Art Nouveau’s emphasis on organic form, yet the stark rendering of figures conveys a raw, expressive quality typical of his socially charged illustrations.

The piece emerged from Steinlen’s collaborations with radical newspapers and pamphlets, where his illustrations often accompanied anarchist and socialist commentary. Although its early exhibition history is not fully documented, the drawing has remained within collections that focus on late‑19th‑century French graphic art.

Produced during a period of intense social upheaval in Paris, the work aligns with Steinlen’s broader engagement with the left‑leaning press. It also situates itself within the Art Nouveau movement’s decorative ambitions, merging aesthetic refinement with a politically resonant narrative.