Théophile Steinlen

Théophile Steinlen

Théophile Steinlen was a Swiss artist who lived from 1859 to 1923. He is one of the most well-known Art Nouveau style artists and printmakers to come from the Montmarte art scene. Perhaps his most well-known piece is the poster, “La tournée du Chat Noir”, from 1896. 

Steinlen was born in Switzerland and moved to France in 1878 after completing college to become a designer trainee at a textile mill. In 1883, Steinlen was just beginning to pursue his art as a designer of printer fabrics when he was convinced by fellow artist, François Bocion, to move with his wife, Emilie, to the Montmartre neighborhood in Paris and join the other inspiring artists.

He moved to Montmartre at the right time, during the golden age of poster art. In Montmartre, Steinlen befriended other artists, including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Emile Zola. He met Aristide Bruant, the owner of the cabaret, Le Chat Noir, who was also a Swiss ex-pat. Bruant commissioned the famous art poster, “La tournée du Chat Noir”, amongst other additional works. 

Steinlen often painted what he knew. His two major themes were the working-class parts of life in the Montmartre quarter of Paris and cats. Steinlen was a true lover of cats and his apartment in Paris was affectionately known as “Cat’s Corner”. His neighbors said that he fed all the stray cats in his quarter. When he was just starting out, he would exchange cat art for for food. Steinlen’s affection for cats can be seen by the many portrayals of them in his work. He created a number of art pieces depicting cats in all forms (at play, rest, lounging, etc.) and across a wide spectrum of mediums, including lithographs, paintings, sculpture, and drawings. Steinlen’s most famous cat piece is undoubtedly the poster ad for a Parisian cabaret, titled “La tournée du Chat Noir,” which is still widely recognized today. His daughter, Colette, was also featured in many of his worlds.

Steinlen produced a large number of illustrations for magazines and other publications and was relatively successful. By 1909, the Salon d’Automne provided Steinlen with his own room to exhibit his art. In 1911, along with several of his friends, he established the paper, Les Humorists. Steinlen was vehemently opposed to the potential outbreak of World War I and created a number of posters to support his view. These works focused on the effects that the Great War would have on the poor, women, and children. For fear of retribution, most of his social commentary works were created under a pseudonym. 

Théophile Steinlen was a huge inspiration for later artists, including Edward Hopper and Pablo Picasso. He worked throughout his life, up until his death from a heart attack in 1923 at 64 years of age. He is buried in his beloved Montmartre neighborhood. 

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