Musée Montmartre and the Captivating Cats of Théophile Steinlen

Tucked away in a corner of the 18th arrondissement, just steps from Sacré-Cœur and la Place du Tertre, lies one of Paris’ lesser-known gems, the Musée de Montmartre. This picturesque museum, built in the 17th century, is surrounded by gardens that begin charming visitors before they ever step indoors. Such was the case on a dreary December day when my daughter Rita and I, overstuffed with brunch at Hardware Société, rolled through its doors to take in an exhibit on Théophile Steinlen.

Montmartre

The quartier of Montmartre has a rich artistic history. Numerous painters, writers, and musicians lived, worked, or had studios in the neighborhood—especially near the turn of the 20th century during the Belle Époque. Examples include Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Erik Satie, Camille Pissarro, Paul Verlaine, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Suzanne Valadon. The latter two, as well as several lesser-known artists and writers, were once residents of La Maison du Bel Air, one of the buildings that now houses Musée de Montmartre.

The permanent collection of Musée de Montmartre exposes visitors to the neighborhood’s rich history, featuring works by the area’s impressive prodigies and chronicling the community’s changing landscape and population. We’d come to the museum that day to learn more about the life and work of Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, a prominent contributor to Montmartre’s storied legacy.

Le Chat Noir

I was familiar with Steinlen’s delightful depictions of cats and knew of his connection to the famous Montmartre cabaret, Le Chat Noir, which opened in 1881. This lively entertainment venue was the place for bohemian locals to circulate and be seen. It featured a theater of shadows, where 2D puppets, illuminated from behind, cavorted behind a sheet of white fabric.

The cabaret also produced a satirical magazine by the same name. Given Steinlen’s propensity for depicting cats in a wide assortment of poses and activities, it’s not surprising that he created what might now be referred to as the nightclub’s branding, designing promotional materials and producing many illustrations for the magazine.

The Heart of a Humanitarian

Conversely, the exhibit underway as 2023 came to a close, had very little to do with playful cats or the spirited nightspot in the heart of Montmartre. Steinlen’s passions and productions extended far beyond that of his most famous works. An ardent humanitarian, Steinlen was also a prolific dessinateur de presse. Over the course of his career, he produced drawings for dozens of French and European periodicals. His extraordinary work as an illustrator featured the urban poor, struggling refugees and their deportation, health crises, the impact of war, child welfare, and government overreach.

Like other artists I’ve written about, Steinlen believed in the power of politically-charged art. Throughout his career, he produced an extraordinary number of sketches, drawings, prints, and ephemera that condemned social injustice, religious hypocrisy, and governmental tyranny.

For now, I’m saving perhaps this most important aspect of Steinlen’s œuvre for another post. What follows is a delightful parade of Steinlen’s felines, illuminating one small corner of the great artist’s heart.

Des Chats de Théophile