At the Foot of the Tree

A Homage to Steinlen

The Swiss-born painter, lithographer and draftsman Alexander Steinlen devoted his life to furthering the cause of justice and liberty. His mission was to express the opinions and reveal the suffering of those who could not speak for themselves, the inarticulate people and the cabhorses and carthorses of Paris. His work comments on the evils of his time - the imprisonment of children, the poverty of the workers, the horrors of war. He drew for magazines such as the anarchist La Feuille, considered dangerously revolutionary, and in consequence he often had to escape incognito from the authorities in Paris. However, the more lyrical and pleasing aspects of the simple working life, in the countryside where he hid himself and also in the city, are also celebrated in his work. The bold historical and political approach of this film to its subject ensures the viewer's complete involvement.

© 1998-2008 The Roland Collection & Pira Intl.