Le Mirliton, no. 20
Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen
French, 1859–1923
May 18, 1894
A May 18, 1894 page from the satirical weekly Le Mirliton, printed with relief halftone illustrations by Théophile‑Alexandre Steinlen, in which the artist uses caricature and typographic layout to lampoon social types for a popular audience.
The large, blocky masthead dominates the top while scattered, woodcut‑like vignettes and short verses—rendered in brisk, dark ink on warm, slightly worn paper—give the sheet a lively, streetwise immediacy.
As an example of the fin‑de‑siècle illustrated press, it demonstrates how Steinlen and his peers brought artistic practice into mass circulation, shaping modern graphic satire, poster art, and the visual language of popular journalism.
Medium
Journal with relief halftone illustration
Dimensions
page (each): 14 3/4 x 10 13/16" (37.5 x 27.5 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Grace M. Mayer Bequest
Accession
595.1997.162
Palette
Exhibitions
