Tournée du Chat Noir, c.1896

Theophile Alexandre Steinlen (1859 – 1923) was a Swiss artist whose posters of cabarets and music hall performers were infused with a warm, intimate style. Initially employed as a textile printer, Steinlen became immersed in the avant-garde world of the Chat Noir Café after moving to Paris’ bohemian Montmartre section. In Paris, he created over 400 Art Nouveau illustrations for local magazines, as well as advertisements and stylized nightclub posters, which often featured the cats that he loved. Steinlen also drew genre scenes of the working class, which depicted everyday Parisian life in a style that was technically proficient and also exhibited great sensitivity toward his subjects.