Biography

French painter, born in Switzerland. He studied art at Lausanne and later became active as a textile designer in Mulhause. In 1882 he arrived in Paris where he worked as an illustrator for journals, producing over four hundred lithographs. Besides illustrating advertisements for a variety of products, Steinlen was famous for his posters of cabaret and music hall performers. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these is one done for the French singer Yvette Guilbert's performances at the cabaret Les Ambassadeurs, executed in 1894. Guilbert preferred Steinlen's posters to another famous version, done by Toulouse-Lautrec. The two artists are often compared, although Steinlen's poster art, drawn with the same bold simplicity as Lautrec's, is marked by an air of sweetness and a quieter mood. However, his later work for the journals, like that of Lautrec, became increasingly satirical and critical of society.

Steinlen often drew genre scenes of the working class, capturing day-to-day life in Paris with a simple, endearing style. He was very found of animals, especially cats, and often included them in his posters.