Overview of Théophile Steinlen — Beyond "Le Chat Noir"
This episode of Stuff You Missed in History Class (hosts Holly Frey and Tracy B. Wilson) profiles Théophile Alexandre Steinlen (1859–1923), the Swiss-born artist best known for the iconic Tournée du Chat Noir poster — and argues that his political art, anarchist associations, and wartime work are equally important but less celebrated. The episode traces Steinlen’s life and career in the context of shifting French press freedoms, Montmartre cabaret culture, anarchist and socialist movements, and World War I, showing how politics and community shaped both his subject matter (notably cats) and his public identity.
Key takeaways
- Steinlen’s fame rests largely on one commercial image (Le Chat Noir poster), but his oeuvre includes sustained political illustration, anarchist collaborations, wartime sketches, and labor activism.
- He arrived in Paris in 1881 just after France passed the Loi sur la liberté de la presse — a turning point that enabled a boom in satirical/cabaret publications where he contributed frequently.
- Steinlen was deeply connected to Montmartre’s bohemian and cabaret scene (Le Chat Noir, Gazette du Chat Noir) and to anarchist/socialist circles; political repression pushed him to use pseudonyms and briefly to flee France.
- Cats are a persistent motif and cultural symbol in his work — both playful and emblematic of bohemian independence.
- His style shifted from whimsical/graphic posters to darker, documentary wartime work that recorded refugees, wounded civilians, and the social costs of WWI.
- Steinlen advocated for artists’ labor rights (early proponent of unions for painters/draftsmen) and remained politically engaged until his death.
Biography & career timeline
- 1859: Born in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Early career: Studied art in Lausanne; designed textile prints in Toulouse; learned lithography/engraving.
- Oct 1881: Moved to Paris (shortly after the 1881 press-freedom law), settled in Montmartre with partner Émilie May.
- 1882–1890s: Regular contributor to cabaret papers (Gazette du Chat Noir, Le Merle Blanc, etc.), produced dozens of illustrations; part of Rodolphe Salis’s circle.
- Early 1890s: Became more involved with anarchist/socialist publications (La TAC, collaborations with Ernest Guigou and Charles Malato).
- 1894: Adopted the pseudonym “Petit Pierre” and briefly fled to Munich amid anti-anarchist laws (Lois scélérates); produced work for German socialist magazine Simplicissimus.
- 1895: Naturalized as a French citizen; legally married Émilie May; daughter Colette appears in several commercial pieces.
- 1896: Created the famous Tournée du Chat Noir poster (still widely reproduced).
- Early 1900s: Continued political illustration; advocated for artist labor rights (helped push for artists’ inclusion in the General Confederation of Labor).
- World War I: Traveled to battlefronts to document refugee flows and civilian suffering; turned to darker, documentary etchings and sketches (e.g., The Exodus).
- 1923: Died; ashes interred at Saint-Vincent Cemetery in Montmartre.
Political context & activism
- France’s press freedoms fluctuated from the Revolution through the 19th century; the 1881 Law on the Freedom of the Press opened space for satirical/cabaret publications that Steinlen joined.
- Steinlen aligned with anarchists and socialists; he illustrated and wrote for radical papers and collaborated on politically charged projects.
- He worked on Prisons fin de siècle — Souvenirs de Pélagie (with Guigou and Malato), a prison memoir mixing satire, political critique, and numerous cat illustrations.
- Anti-anarchist laws in the 1890s (the “Lois scélérates”) made political activity dangerous: Steinlen used pseudonyms and briefly left France.
- He publicly criticized the military and the Dreyfus Affair cover-up — consistent with his long-standing critique of injustice and authority.
- Labor activism: early proponent of artists’ recognition as workers; spoke when artists were added to the General Confederation of Labor (1905).
Artistic themes, style, and signature works
- Cats as emblem: Steinlen’s cat imagery ranges from whimsical (cabaret drawings, posters) to symbolic — he saw Paris cats as mascots of the bohemian lifestyle. Cats appear in:
- Tournée du Chat Noir (1896) — most famous poster (black cat silhouette, strong color graphic design).
- Numerous commercial posters where cats recur as decorative or signature elements (e.g., posters for chocolates/tea, dairy, veterinary clinic).
- Personal and political works, including ~23 cat sketches in the Pelagie prison book.
- Dual career: commercial poster artist (lucrative commissions) and political illustrator/essayist (papers, pamphlets, protest projects).
- Tone shift in WWI: from satirical/whimsical graphics to sober, documentary charcoal and etchings of refugees, wounded soldiers, grieving civilians (e.g., The Exodus / March of the Orphans).
- Pseudonym: published some political work as “Petit Pierre” when repression intensified.
Notable quotes & passages
- From Prisons fin de siècle (preface excerpt): “Prison, however benign, never represents an Eldorado... As captives, laughter is, moreover, our only weapon, our only distraction. We hope that the bawdy humor scattered throughout this book, alongside serious ideas, will not cast a negative light on the latter.”
- On Steinlen’s legacy (Matlack Price obituary, 1924): “To a great many artists and amateurs in the graphic arts, Steinlen has given and will always give more real joy and satisfaction than most artists who have risen since his zenith... Steinlen’s art is too real, too sincere, too literary and dramatic in its quality.”
(An often-cited aphorism — “Every dog has his day, but the nights are reserved for the cats” — is frequently attributed to Steinlen but lacks clear primary-source confirmation.)
Legacy & where to look next
- Popular legacy: The Tournée du Chat Noir poster ensures Steinlen’s continuing visibility in commercial reproductions, souvenirs, and pop-culture parodies.
- Artistic legacy: His political prints and wartime etchings are less widely known but regarded as important documentary and protest work.
- Institutions & reproductions: look for his posters and prints in museum poster collections, graphic art anthologies, and specialized books compiling his cat drawings.
- Related listening/reading recommended by the episode:
- The podcast’s Dreyfus Affair two-parter (context for Steinlen’s military criticism).
- Original or translated versions of Prisons fin de siècle — Souvenirs de Pélagie for his prison-related sketches and text.
- Exhibitions or retrospectives on Montmartre artists and French poster art (late 19th–early 20th century).
Quick reference — names, pseudonyms & works
- Full name: Théophile Alexandre Steinlen (sometimes spelled “Steinlén” in French sources)
- Born: 1859, Lausanne, Switzerland — Died: 1923, Montmartre (ashes at Saint-Vincent Cemetery)
- Pseudonym: Petit Pierre
- Most famous work: Tournée du Chat Noir (1896 poster)
- Notable collaborations: Ernest Guigou and Charles Malato (Prisons fin de siècle)
- Political papers: La TAC, Le Chambard, L’Assiette au Beurre, Les Tons Nouveaux, Gazette du Chat Noir
Final takeaway
Steinlen’s public image as “the cat poster guy” overlooks a committed political artist whose cartoons, prison sketches, wartime documentation, and labor activism reveal an artist using popular graphic forms to engage with social justice. His visual language — playful or severe — consistently centered ordinary people (and cats), making him both a chronicler and a critic of his age.