Artwork
The Distant City (La ville lointaine)
The Distant City (La ville lointaine) is an ink print by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Distant City (La ville lointaine) is a 1914 print by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, a Swiss-born French artist associated with the Art Nouveau movement.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts three figures on uneven terrain: a woman in a long coat and headscarf with a child, and a man with a hat leaning on a cane. The woman's gesture suggests she is pointing or explaining something, conveying a sense of movement and emotion.
Technique & Style
Steinlen employed etching and drypoint techniques to achieve the print's sketchy, expressive lines. The rough lines in the background evoke hills or distant buildings, while the figures are rendered with quick, gestural strokes.
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.
Poor People (Les pauvres gens)
Refugee Family
Le retour au foyer (The Return Home)
In the Rain: Mother and Children (Sous la pluie: La mere et les enfants)
Après la saisie (After the Seizure)
In the Rain: Mother and Children (Sous la pluie: La mere et les enfants)
Après la saisie (After the Seizure)
Quand le boche se retire...
Le colporteur juif (The Jewish Peddler)
The Parable of the Sower (Le Semeur de Paraboles)
Refugee Family
Les notables (petite planche) (The Notables) (small plate)