Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen
Steinlen grew up in an artistic family. At 22, he moved with his young wife, Emile Mey, to Montmartre in Paris, where the Belle Époque began and France felt like the center of the world. As the construction of the Sacré-Cœur started, Montmartre gained a reputation as a district of writers, poets, artists, and hedonists. Steinlen remained loyal to Montmartre throughout his life. He designed his most famous poster for the café Le Chat Noir, featuring a stately black cat. A similar cat also adorned the signboard Steinlen created for the café-cabaret. Steinlen was extraordinarily productive, working for more than thirty newspapers and magazines, including Le Chat Noir. His work mainly consisted of Art Nouveau drawings and many cats.
Le Chat Noir
Le Chat Noir, founded in 1881 in Montmartre, was an iconic meeting place for artists and cabaret performers, including regulars such as Émile Zola and Léon Bloy. The café-cabaret attracted a diverse audience and served as a breeding ground for the avant-garde of the fin de siècle. Le Chat Noir quickly gained popularity and moved to a larger location with a spectacular parade. In its colorful medieval interior, a diverse crowd of bohemians and bourgeois gathered for the shadow theater. Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen designed the famous poster with the black cat for this tour, which has become an iconic symbol of fin de siècle print art and entertainment culture.
