Théophile Alexandre Steinlen

(French, 1859 - 1923)

La Traite des blanches (uncensored)

, 1899

lithograph

74 x 46 inches.

Property from Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, California. Sold to Support the Care of Collections and the Mary Silver Fund for Acquisitions

Provenance:

Mary and Louis Silver French Art Poster Collection

Bequest of Mary Silver, Palm Springs, California

Lot Notes:

Steinlen made two versions of this poster, and this one is extremely rare. After the censor viewed it, he required that the bare bosom be covered. The poster advertises the novel White Slavery, which was serialized in Le Journal. Three women, victims of a white slaver, show varying reactions to their predicament: sorrowful resignation, bitter invective, and acquiescence to corruption.

Framed: 81 x 55 inches.

Not examined out of frame, linen backed, wrinkling to sheet along entire left edge approximately 5 inches into the image, small loss in upper lettering just above ‘o’ in Journal, crumpling to left edge of sheet extending approximately 2 inch into image, loss in lower right edge no longer than 1 ½ inches in length, multiples losses in extreme right corner near artist’s name.

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Prints and Multiples

La Traite des blanches (uncensored)

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