Théophile Alexandre Steinlen (1859 - 1923)

Although the poster "Tourné du Chat Noir avec Rodolphe Salis" is probably not known by many, once you catch sight of the glaring black Tom cat with the tattered tail, the endless high-ranking gaze and those bright piercing yellow eyes, you will certainly remember it forever. Who was the man behind this masterwork of art? A successful artist? Or an enormous cat lover? Perhaps both. Steinlein adored cats. After all, his Parisian home was baptized the "Cat cottage". But was Steinlen a great artist? Contemporary art critics blamed him for being more of a journalist than a real artist. Steinlen did not mind. He simply replied "A real artist does not have to please anybody. Like the scientist, he serves the Truth."

‘Le chat noir'

Steinlein was raised in Switzerland. Drawing and painting were part of his family's background, and already as a schoolboy he received art lessons. Yet his parents still strongly encouraged him to become a pastor after completing his philosophy course at Lausanne University. Steinlein never showed any enthusiasm for his studies, however. In 1879 he finally left the university without a degree, to became an apprentice in the textile factory. He produced original designs to be printed on fabric.

Storyteller or Artist?

Steinlen, along with Alphonse Mucha and Toulouse-Luatrec, was celebrated as one of the leaders in poster art. His production of billboards, just like his personality, was extremely diverse: sober at times, expressive at other. Yet some would rather consider Steinlen as a storyteller - a choniqueur - rather than an artist; a craftsman that would adapt his style to the subject matter. Others also praise his work as a sign of his varied talents and indication of his ‘spirit d'universelle'. Steinlein did not only specialize in designing posters - he frequently experimented with many other forms of printing, painting techniques and would often try his hand at making bronze statues. Yet no matter how diverse his craft became, his admiration for the cat always remained a constant factor in his work.

The Cat's Spirit in Steinlen

The 19th century was a period of  rehabilitation for the cat. In the arts, the cat was often portrayed as an allegory to poetry. Many would personify the cat as a symbol of desire without a face or name; of creativity; a creature who lives life without boundaries. Certainly Steinlen saw the cat as the ideal conveyor of all these concepts. But he went further. He drew them as if he felt their sensations from the inside, as if he himself felt their impulses, their slightest movements, their deepest sleep and fierce violence. The posture of a sleeping cat, the daring gaze of a wild cat waiting for its prey, or a cat's curious and loving gaze at its master when waiting at the doorstep. No cat gesture seemed unfamiliar to Steinlein. He, indeed, was a master of conveying the cat's deepest secrets.