Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859-1923) Poster for The Black Cat’s Tour (1896) Steinlen abandoned his studies in philosophy in his hometown of Lausanne to work as a textile designer in Mulhouse. The socially conscious, gentle artist moved to Paris in 1881 with his wife, settling in the hilltop district of Montmartre, which was on the cusp of becoming the epicenter of the French avant-garde. There, he befriended painter Adolphe Willette, who introduced him to the artistic circles surrounding Le Chat Noir cabaret. In the early 1890s, Steinlen continued to paint traditional subjects such as landscapes, floral still lifes, and nudes, which were first exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants. His later work showed increasing characteristics of social realism. Steinlen became a sought-after illustrator for legendary magazines like Le Rire and Gil Bas. Some of his illustrations were published under pseudonyms to avoid political controversy. In 1881, Rudolphe Salis opened the Le Chat Noir cabaret on Boulevard Rochechouart (later moving to Rue de Laval). It quickly became a legendary haven for the performing arts, with Steinlen at its center. He designed sets, contributed to popular shadow plays, and most notably, created the famous poster that was plastered all over Paris. The cat in red and black, the colors of anarchism, became the symbol of the Montmartre art district. The text “Montjoie Montmartre” (Montmartre my joy) served as an aureole behind its mystical head. The law on freedom of the press and advances in printing technology allowed Salis to also publish a magazine. The publication, Le Chat Noir, was a huge success, even beyond French borders, which reflected positively on Steinlen as its main illustrator. The cat always played a major role in Steinlen’s work. He, like most of his colleagues, had a fondness for the feral cats on the rooftops of Montmartre and took in many, much to the chagrin of his wife.
www.ftn-books.com has several titles on Steinlen available.
