Theophile Steinlen

 

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen (Lausanne, 10 November 1859 - Paris, 13 December 1923) was a Swiss painter and engraver, known mainly for his lithographs. His name demonstrates the German origins of his paternal family, even though he was born in French-speaking Switzerland. He was an artist belonging to the Art Nouveau.

After high school, he enrolled in the Faculty of Letters of the Lausanne Academy, but soon had to go to work with a relative in Mulhausen, in a linen fabric factory and his talent was used for decorative designs of fabrics.

In 1881 he went to Paris, at a time when Montmartre was achieving its literary and artistic significance in the world. His first affiche (poster) was Trouville sur Mer from 1885. In 1891 he painted Le reve and discovered lithography. The paintings from 1894, the year in which he had his first exhibition at la Bodinière, show his denunciation of poverty and violence (Le petit sou).

In the boulevard Rochechouart the first artistic café was opened by Rodolphe Salis and, a few years later, Le Chat Noir, in rue Victor Masci. Salis loved to call himself "gentilhomme cabaretier", because he believed he was related to an ancient Swiss noble family and his cabaret gave many artists and poets the opportunity to make their works known to the public. Among these artists was Steinlen who, at Le Chat Noir, also met Toulouse Lautrec.