Waiting (En attendant)

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen

National Gallery of Art

Several people are depicted from the waist up, gathered around a large pot. A woman is pouring soup from a ladle into a bowl held by a young girl in front of her. The woman has her hair tied up and wears a cap or headscarf and a dress with a prominent collar. The young girl is in profile, holding a bowl with both hands, with dark hair falling to her shoulders. Beside her, a small boy looks up towards the pot, wearing a cap and a dark coat. An elderly man with a bald head and bushy beard stands to the left, holding a dish close to his chest and looking towards the woman serving the soup. The background is crowded with other individuals, outlined in monochrome, creating a somber and communal atmosphere. An inscription, "en attendant!", is in the upper left corner, and the artist's signature, “Steinlen,” is visible in the bottom right corner.