Théophile Steinlen Beyond 'Le Chat Noir'

Summary

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Episode: "Théophile Steinlen Beyond 'Le Chat Noir'"

Date: March 4, 2026

Hosts: Holly Fry & Tracy V. Wilson

---

Episode Overview

This episode explores the rich yet often overlooked life and work of Théophile Steinlen, the Swiss-born French artist best known for his iconic "Le Chat Noir" poster. Holly and Tracy dig deep beneath Steinlen’s commercial success with feline art, discussing his significant political activism, his ties to Montmartre’s bohemian circles, and the broader political and artistic movements of late 19th and early 20th century France. The episode is interwoven with anecdotes of Parisian art culture, tales of cat mascots, and the perennial struggle for freedom of expression in France.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth vs. Reality of 'Le Chat Noir'

• The hosts highlight the ubiquity of the "Le Chat Noir" poster and common misconceptions about its creator.
  • Many mistakenly attribute it to Toulouse-Lautrec, not realizing it was Steinlen’s work. (04:00)
  • "[E]ven though that artist's signature appears on the image [...] it is actually often assumed that a more famous artist [...] created it." — Holly Fry (03:39)

2. Steinlen's Early Life and Artistic Training

• Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1859. (04:16)
• Studied art (and possibly theology) in Lausanne.
• Moved to Mulhouse, France, to work in textile design and learn lithography and engraving.
• Relocated to Paris in 1881, at a pivotal moment of increasing press freedoms. (05:22)

3. The Political Landscape of 19th Century France

• Holly and Tracy provide an in-depth context of French censorship laws, tracing the fluctuating freedoms from the Revolution through the Third Republic.
  • "This cycle of freedom of speech being reinstated, followed by a rollback of that freedom, started once again when Napoleon was replaced with the bourbon Restoration in 1815." — Holly Fry (07:48)
• The 1881 Law on the Freedom of the Press is introduced as a turning point, coinciding with Steinlen’s move to Paris.

4. Montmartre, Cabarets, and Artistic Circles

• Steinlen falls ill shortly after moving; a chance encounter with a doctor's brother, the painter Adolphe Willette, leads to his integration in Montmartre’s avant-garde art scene. (14:22)
• Frequented Le Chat Noir, the cabaret that defined modern cabaret culture and Parisian nightlife. (16:11)
  • "The opening of Le Chat Noir is actually pretty important because it marks the birth of the modern cabaret." — Holly Fry (16:11)
• Contributed extensively to "Gazette du Chat Noir" and other cabaret publications, with his iconic, slightly edgy cartoon style.

5. Political Involvement and Artistic Activism

• Steinlen grows increasingly politically active, aligning with anarchists and socialists.
• He collaborates with Ernest Gégout and Charles Malato, both imprisoned for anarchist writings advocating for May Day protests. (20:19)
• Steinlen’s drawings and his cat illustrations appear in their collaborative prison memoir, "Prison Fantaisies: Souvenir de Pelagie." (23:00)
• Memorable quote describing their smuggled cat companion:
  • "Then we had a new companion, and this companion was a delightful little cat that Malato's wife brought us in her work bag. Pelagia, as she was christened, grew up in the horror of the dungeons..." — Holly Fry reading from the book (23:32)

6. Cats as Symbols and Signatures

• Steinlen's love for cats permeated both his personal life and his commercial work.
  • "He came to view the cats of Paris as the mascots of the bohemian movement, wild, free and alluring." — Holly Fry (28:31)
• Noted for integrating cats—even as hidden signatures—into posters and paintings, both commercial and personal.
• Created well-known posters for various clients, e.g., French chocolatier, dairy, and veterinary clinics, all featuring cats, often family members alongside feline companions.

7. Flourishing Artistic Career Amid Censorship

• Participated in critical artistic and political publications, including socialist papers and exposés on public health issues (e.g., adulterated milk). (31:26)
• Increasing censorship in the 1890s (Lois Scélérates/"villainous laws") forced him to use the pseudonym "Petit Pierre" and temporarily exile himself to Munich. (32:34)
  • "If he placed himself in the public eye with his art, he knew he would probably be arrested because of his ties to anarchists." — Tracy V. Wilson (33:58)
• After the failed "Trial of the Thirty," returns to Paris and resumes his active role in both art and activism.

8. The Enduring Legacy of 'Le Chat Noir' Poster

• In 1896, Steinlen designs the poster for "Tournée du Chat Noir," now one of the most reproduced art images globally. (36:14)
  • Described as "simple but striking" and the image that "has endured to still be in print 130 years later on all manner of things." — Holly Fry (36:14)

9. Advocacy, War Art, and Final Years

• Actively participated in unions and labor organizing for artists.
• His style becomes darker and more serious with the outbreak of World War I, depicting refugees, wounded soldiers, and the impact of war on civilians.
  • "Steinlen's work about the war was never about active battle scenes. It also didn't directly involve politics. It portrayed all the people who were often overlooked..." — Tracy V. Wilson (39:18)
• Died in 1923; cause of death left unrecorded.

10. Appraisal and Afterlife

• Matlack Price's 1924 obituary underscores Steinlen’s sincere artistry and the ongoing value of his work:
  • "Steinlen has given, and will always give more real joy and satisfaction than most artists who have risen since his zenith. Nor will Steinlen's art deteriorate with time. It is too real, too sincere, too literary and dramatic in its quality." — Matlack Price (41:41)
• Steinlen’s political art remains lesser-known compared to his cat posters, but his influence persists in art circles and popular culture.
• The poster's popularity has inspired numerous venues and immersive experiences, sustaining the aura of Montmartre’s bohemian legacy. (43:18)

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "A lot of them got this wrong and several of them thought it was Toulouse Lautrec. It's not. Theophile Steinlen was right in the mix of the Montmartre Bohemians..." — Holly Fry (03:39)
• "Prison, however benign, never represents an El Dorado, and Pelagie has grown darkened with age... We believe we are doing useful work by combating it with laughter. As captives, laughter is, moreover, our only weapon, our only distraction." — Preface from "Prison Fantaisiecle Souvenir de Pelagie" (21:01)
• "Every dog has his day, but the nights are reserved for the cats, is often attributed to Steinlen ... but his work sure does seem to support that sentiment." — Holly Fry (31:15)
• "Steinlen is dead. Perhaps, unfortunately for us all, much of his influence is dead today in the field of the graphic arts. It is not that Steinlin's art is out of date, but rather that it is so much better, so much more living and vivid than most of the work today that it is a little disquieting to have it about as a reminder. It disturbs our illusions of progress." — Matlack Price (41:41)

---

Timestamps for Noteworthy Segments

• 03:39 — Common misconceptions about the "Le Chat Noir" poster’s authorship
• 04:16–05:22 — Steinlen's upbringing and art education
• 07:48–10:51 — The tumultuous history of French press freedom
• 14:22–18:38 — Entry into Montmartre’s art circle and the importance of Le Chat Noir cabaret
• 19:19–25:19 — Anarchist circles, prison memoir project, and the cat Pelagia
• 28:31–31:15 — Cat iconography in Steinlen’s work
• 32:34–36:14 — Censorship, exile, return, and enduring commercial success
• 39:18–41:20 — Wartime art and Steinlen’s late period
• 41:41–44:11 — Posthumous evaluation and legacy

---

Closing Thoughts

Steinlen’s legacy vividly intertwines political conviction, compassionate artistry, and Parisian bohemian life. While popular memory clings to his iconic cats, this episode brings Steinlen’s ideals, challenges, and lesser-known but deeply human activism to the fore—proving him not just a master of posters, but an indelible force for social change in art.

[End of summary]

Transcript

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[Matt Rogers]

This is Matt Rogers from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Matt Rogers]

Hey, so what if you could boost the WI fi to one of your devices when you need it most?

[Bowen Yang]

Because Xfinity WI fi can. And what if your WI fi could fix itself before there's even really a problem? Xfinity is so reliable. It does that too.

[Matt Rogers]

What if your WI fi had parental instincts? Xfinity WI Fi is part nanny, part ninja, protecting your kids while they're online.

[Bowen Yang]

And final, your WI fi was like the smartest WI fi.

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, it's WI fi that is so smart it makes everything work better together.

[Bowen Yang]

Bottom line, Xfinity is smart and reliable. You deserve the peace of mind of having WI fi that's got your back.

[Matt Rogers]

Xfinity. Imagine that.

[Holly Fry]

Wouldn't it be great to never buy gas again? EVs are as easy to charge as your phone and they are a perfect addition to your everyday life. Most people are only driving about 40 miles a day and most EVs can handle 200 to 400 miles of range on a charge. And there are hundreds EV models available today, so there's something perfect for every lifestyle and budget. I drive an ev. I've had it for a couple of years. It's my favorite car I've ever owned. It is so fun to drive. The pickup is incredible, it's super agile and it is easy to maintain. The way forward is electric. Learn [e-mail] Busted Appliance this is your sign to upgrade shop at Lowe's to get up to 35% off and next day delivery on hundreds of major appliances. Lowes we help you Save valid through 318 while supplies last selection varies by location. Order by 4pm Available Monday through Saturday subject to availability, fees, exclusions and restrictions apply. See Lowes.com appliancedelivery for more details.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Visit your nearby Lowes on Colorado street in Kennewick.

[Bombas Comfort Line Automated Voice]

Thank you for calling the Bombas Comfort line. Bombas make socks, slippers, tees and underwear made with the highest quality materials. Press 1 for comfort, 2 for style, 3 for donation. You chose Style Bombs Bombas styles for whatever you enjoy. You can run in Bombas lounge in Bombas dress them up, dress them down, but always give back in Bombas because with every item purchased another is donated Bombas Comfort Worth calling for. Go to bombas.comaudio and use code audio for 20% off your first purchase that's B O M B A S dot com and use code audio.

[Holly Fry]

Welcome to Stuff youf Missed in History Class, a production of iHeartradio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly Fry.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

And I'm Tracy V. Wilson.

[Holly Fry]

So the poster that is colloquially known as Le Chat Noir, or the Black Cat, is easily one of the most famous pieces of late 19th century European art. But the artist behind it is surprisingly not all that well known. And even though that artist's signature appears on the image both as his signature and the little icon that he developed as like, a stamp for his signature, it is actually often assumed that a more famous artist who is associated with the Parisian fendicle artist art scene created it. I actually polled a number of friends about this, including friends who are artists went to art school, and a lot of them got this wrong and several of them thought it was Toulouse Lautrec. It's not. Theophile Steinlen was right in the mix of the Montmartre Bohemians alongside now famous artists like Edgar Degas and, yes, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec. But he has never achieved quite their level of fame, even though he made a pretty good living with his art and contemporaries thought incredibly highly of his work. And his political work, because he created a lot of political art, which was very important to him, is often eclipsed by his commercial images of felines. So today we're gonna unravel his life, but what that really means is that we're gonna talk a lot about things that were happening in France and the world politically, because his art and his life are very much tied to the politics of the day. In fact, we're really gonna talk more about that than we do about his. But we'll talk about cats, I promise.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

They are very good cats. Toville Alexandra Steinlen was born in 1859 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Like a lot of our subjects on the show, his childhood is not very well documented. His parents encouraged his art interests, and after he graduated from the lyce, he attended Lausanne's art school. At least one account says that he studied theology briefly before focusing on art, but it is not clear if that's accurate. After art school, he moved to Moulose, that's in France, and the Alsace region. And that's about 35 kilometers, or 22 miles from the Swiss border. He worked at a textile factory there designing fabric prints. And he studied other art techniques, including lithography and engraving. His story kind of picks up when he's 21 in 1881, and that year he moved to Paris, and that's a city that he would be associated with for the rest of his life and beyond.

[Holly Fry]

But that move happened at a really significant moment in French history. And knowing that history might give some inkling of who Steinlen was already at that young age, ideologically speaking, because on July 29th of 1881, France passed the Loire sur la Liberte de la Presse, the Law on the Freedom of the Press, which was a huge and important change. So for context, the legal issue of modern censorship as it related to print publications has roots in the French revolution. The revolution's 1789 foundational document, Declaration of the Rights of Man, states that, quote, men are born and remain free and equal in rights. If this sounds very familiar to our US listeners, it's because Thomas Jefferson helped the Marquis de Lafayette when he drafted the first version of the this declaration. So it mirrors our Declaration of Independence in a lot of ways. The French version also included the language quote, the free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may accordingly speak, write and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom and as shall be defined by law.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So in practice, letting everybody say whatever they wanted in a country that was a perpetual political powder keg that was trickier than the leaders of the French Revolution had really anticipated. There was concern that incendiary writing in newspapers and political pamphlets was preventing any kind of unity within the nation. So just two years after the Declaration of the Rights of Man, a new law made it illegal for a journalist to publish anti authority material. Anybody who did would be charged with libel. Published writing was limited Even more in 1793, when any writing or speech suggesting a return to a monarchy was punishable by death. When Robespierre gained political power in 1793, rules about free speech tightened even more, to the point that dissenting political ideologies could get a death penalty. The post Robespierre government reset things back to the ideals of the Declaration of the Rights of Man. But then the same cycle started again.

[Holly Fry]

Yep, because by 1796, the death penalty was once again the consequence for advocating against the new government. The start of Napoleon's reign in 1799 offered no relief. He took things even further by limiting the number of newspapers they were even allowed to publish and instituting a censorship board to review anything that those papers produced. So this cycle of freedom of speech being reinstated, followed by a rollback of that freedom, started once again when Napoleon was replaced with the bourbon Restoration in 1815. And censorship laws were once again relaxed. In 1824, laws against freedom of the press were once again implemented. And the same pattern played out again with the overthrow of the Bourbons and the installation of King Louis Philippe, a reign which started out with a more liberal attitude toward the press, but then soon reduced their freedoms. From the beginning of the Second Republic in 1848 and the election of Napoleon III, and throughout the next several decades, the issue of freedom of expression for writers was a huge source of tension in France, as advocates for both censorship and total freedom pushed farther and farther away from each other. A lot of trials played out in the country as writers purposely chose to defy the laws and were arrested, were put on trial, but then the majority of them were acquitted. A lot of journalists and creatives who made art that contained political commentary found ways to technically operate within the bounds of the law, while also clearly speaking out against the government. These were through things like satires and developing representative characters that stood in for aspects of the government or even figures in the government. In other instances, outlawed writing was printed outside of the country, so that was technically legal, and then it was smuggled in. By this point, theater and art had also been included in the legislation against government critical works, which just meant that those creators in those fields started making art that protested that censorship.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The French Third Republic began in 1870 with the overthrow of Napoleon III and the start of President Louis Jules Trochu's leadership. In 1879, Jules Gravy became the president of France, and it was during his administration that the aforementioned Law for Liberty of the Press was passed. That was in 1881. This law is considered the foundational legal text of France's freedom of the press and expression. And it harkened back to the Declaration of the Rights of Man. This law did not magically give every journalist, writer and artist freedom. There were still regulations in place about how people could talk about the president, for example. But it did represent a huge step forward, forward. And it opened the door to additional legislation that further expanded the freedom of the press.

[Holly Fry]

And it was in this moment of newfound freedom of expression that Theophile Steinlen made his move to relocate to Paris. He had long wanted to move there. So in October 1881, just a few months after the Law of the Freedom of the Press was passed, he moved to the capital with his girlfriend, Emily. May Steinlen was once again able to find work as a fabric designer in Paris, and he and Emily found a place to live in Montmartre.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Coming up, we'll talk about how Steinlen fell in with a circle of other artists in Paris. But before we do, we will pause for a sponsor break.

[Holly Fry]

Unlike the people we normally talk about on the show, we are living in a time when Internet connectivity is a standard part of life for most people and there is literally no way we could research and prepar our podcast without the Internet. If connectivity goes down for me, it can be really hard to make up that lost time. And for businesses, Internet connectivity is even more of a necessity. Spectrum Business keeps businesses of all sizes connected seamlessly with fast and reliable Internet, advanced wi fi, phone, TV and mobile services. Spectrum business offers 100% US based customer support and they do it 24 7. That means you can always stay up and running no matter what hours your business keeps. Spectrum Business also will tailor connectivity solutions just for you. They will put a package together that is built for your business budget. Millions of business owners rely on Spectrum Business to keep them connected, so visit spectrum.combusiness to learn more. Restrictions apply. Service is not available in all areas.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Brought to you in part by Vital Farms One of my very favorite easy meals to make is to fry up an egg in some chili oil, throw that over rice, maybe wilt a little spinach and garlic. So I have some greens in there. Delicious. So fast. So easy. You can make it with Vital Farms pasture raised eggs. These hens have access to open pastures, fresh air and sunshine and you can actually trace your eggs back to the farm they came from. There's a little thing on the side of the carton. You can find the farm name and look it up, see pictures plus Vital Farms is a certified B corporation which I always appreciate. That means they are committed to improving the lives of people, animals and the planet through food. So farmers who care hens that get to roam and eggs that you can feel good about. Next time you are in the store, look for the black carton in the egg aisle and visit vitalfarms.com to learn more. Vital Farms Good Eggs no Shortcuts

[Holly Fry]

this

[Matt Rogers]

is Matt Rogers from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Matt Rogers]

Hey, so what if you could boost the WI fi to one of your devices when you need it most?

[Bowen Yang]

Because Xfinity WI Fi can. And what if your WI fi could fix itself before there's even really a problem? Xfinity is so reliable it does that too.

[Matt Rogers]

What if your WI fi had parental instincts? Xfinity WI Fi is part nanny, part ninja, protecting your kids while they're online

[Bowen Yang]

and finally, what if your WIF the smartest wifi?

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, it's WI fi that is so smart it makes everything work better together.

[Bowen Yang]

Bottom line, Xfinity is smart and reliable. You deserve the peace of mind of having WI fi that's got your back.

[Matt Rogers]

Xfinity. Imagine that.

[Holly Fry]

Wouldn't it be great to never buy gas again? EVs are as easy to charge as your phone, and they are a perfect addition to your everyday life. Most people are only driving about 40 miles a day, and most EVs can handle 200 to 400 miles of range on a charge. And there are hundreds of EV models available today, so there's something perfect for every lifestyle and budget. I drive an ev. I've had it for a couple of years. It's my favorite car I've ever owned. It is so fun to drive. The pickup is incredible. It's super agile and it is easy to maintain. The way forward is electric. Learn [e-mail]. It was an illness, actually, that ultimately led Theophile to the heart of the art scene in Montmartre. Just a few months after the move to Paris, Steinlen became quite sick, and he called for a doctor to visit. And that doctor was the older brother of Adolphe Leon Willette. Willette was a painter and illustrator, among other artistic talents, and he was right in the center of Parisian artistic life. And when Willet's physician brother was tending to Theophile Steinlen in the Steinlen home, he saw the various pieces of art that were around, and he suggested an introduction of the two artists. These two men immediately hit it off, and Willett, who was Theophile's lifelong friend, immediately brought Steinlen into his social circle.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Soon Steinlen was accompanying Willett to social gatherings in the city, and through Willett, he became connected to a wide range of successful artists. One of the places they frequented was Le Chate Noir. Le Chat Noir was a nightclub that opened in 1881 in Montmartre, Paris, and it was the brainchild of Rodolphe Salis.

[Holly Fry]

The opening of Le Chat Noir is actually pretty important because it marks the birth of the modern cabaret. So the word cabaret is derived from the Middle French word for a small room cabaret. And prior to the opening of Le Chat Noir, the word cabaret meant something very different. Essentially, it meant a place you could buy alcohol. Some such places also served food, and some were attached to inns. But it was the alcohol that separated a cabaret from a restaurant, for example. But Sally envisioned a place where people could eat and drink and see entertainment and in the late 19th century Paris, that meant a heady combination of opulent design, very rich cuisine, and an assortment of interesting acts, all introduced by Sally. And a variety of performers graced the stage at Le Chat Noir. So there were musical numbers, there were poetry readings, there were comedy skits. Kind of anything you could think of that somebody could do as a performance probably showed up there. And most of them had this edge of rebellion or subversion to them. This was a groundbreaking concept at the time, and it was instantly popular. Sally is credited with starting an entirely new form of entertainment, and a lot of venues that were looking to copy his successful format started popping up around Paris in the years that followed. The Moulin Rouge, for example, which is wildly famous, opened in 1889, eight years after Sally opened Le Chat Noir. And incidentally, Steinlen's friend Willette was the architect of the Moulin Rouge.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The spirit of expression, freshly stoked by the freedom of the press law, was central to the Montmartre art circle. One of the prior regulations on press that had rolled back was the requirement for any publication to pay a fee and register if it wanted to print material for circulation. That requirement was removed and new papers sprung up, including one run by the proprietor of Le Chat Noir. Sally started publication of Gazette du chate noir in 1882, the year after he opened the cabaret, and Theophile Steinlen became a regular contributor. His first illustration for the paper appeared on September 2, 1883. He went on to provide at least six dozen other drawings for the paper over the years.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, often these were like cute little sort of cartoony drawings that would accompany poems or songs in the paper, or they would kind of be like a cute social commentary on the day. His style is really, really unique. It's a little cartoony, but it has this edge to it. I love it. The Gazette du Chat Noir was not the only cabaret paper that Steinlen worked with, though. Raconteur Aristide Bruhan opened his own cabaret called Le Merliton, and Le Merliton had its own paper of the same name, Steinlen was also a regular contributor to its pages, again mostly creating illustrations to accompany the songs that Bruant wrote and published in that paper.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Although Steinlen was deeply ingrained in the Montmartre art scene and was very committed to it, he was also drawn to politics and the social movements that were very active in Paris at the time. He had moved to the city as restrictions on free speech were lifted and a lot of people who had been exiled moved back at the same time. He befriended a lot of them. A lot of them were people who had been exiled for supporting the Paris Commune and had been granted amnesty. In 1880, he found himself aligned with anarchist and socialist groups in France, and his art started to reflect that ideology as well.

[Holly Fry]

One of the most obvious instances of this alignment was Steinlen's involvement with Ernest Gegu and Charles Mulatto. Gigu was an anarchist and a publisher, and his weekly paper, La Tack, published columns that increasingly called for an abandonment of almost all other political stances because they were all faulty in one way or another.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We've talked about worker demonstrations in the US in the 19th century, and their protests inspired similar actions in France. In 1890, the first May Day was planned. This was a workers strike that voiced the demands for eight hours of work, eight hours of sleep and eight hours of leisure. This protest, planned for May 1, was covered in a lot of political papers and in latex as well. And in Ghegu's paper, an article by Charles Mulatto was printed in the lead up to May Day that gave instructions for making bombs. Both the publisher and writer were arrested and charged with inciting violence, and they were found guilty and sentenced to 15 months in prison.

[Holly Fry]

While the two anarchists were serving their sentence, Theophil Steinlen visited them in prison and he made some drawings while he was there. And this led to a collaboration of the three men, which was a book titled Prison Fantasiecle Souvenir de Pelagie, or Prison at the End of the Memories of Pelagie. Pelagie was the name of the prison they were in. And this book has a really interesting take on the idea of a prison narrative. It isn't really so much about the horrors of incarceration. It's more of an expose about how ludicrous the entire legal system of France was, in the view of Gigu and Malato. And it opens with quote. Prefaces are rarely read. We believe, however, that we must explain our motive in portraying our own insignificant personalities. Prison, however benign, never represents an El Dorado, and Pelagi has grown darkened with age. However, even under current conditions, how many dispossessed people, more interesting than certain political speculators, would like to find refuge there? The halo of martyrdom claimed by ambitious writers has allowed them to exploit the feelings of the masses whom they inwardly despised. This fetishism of individuals is not yet extinct. We believe we are doing useful work by combating it with laughter. 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. While mocking the prison where we are incarcerated, the magistrates who threw us in, the jailers who hold us there, and the motley crew of politicians we have encountered. We had a duty not to spare ourselves, and that is what we have done. May this strip bare forever the prestige of political martyrdom.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

One of the surprising things about this book is how many cat drawings are in it. Steinlen loved cats and loved to draw them. Understandably. Even today you can buy books that are just compilations of his cat drawings, and cat sketches are scattered throughout this account of life in prison. Holly counted at least 23 cat illustrations. Some of them are just dropped into larger scenes. They're random cats who don't seem particularly meaningful. But one of them is a character in the book, and her arrival is

[Holly Fry]

described by the authors this way. Quote, then we had a new companion, and this companion was a delightful little cat that Malato's wife brought us in her work bag. Pelagia, as she was christened, grew up in the horror of the dungeons and didn't miss a single bite how many times she slept on our beds and underneath them too sharp reproaches. Later, corrections, administered paternally, according to the axiom, he who loves well, punishes well, gradually led her towards better habits. A newspaper, carefully unfolded and held up by a chair in a corner of the room, served as a safe place. So, just for clarity, the reason that she couldn't sleep on their beds or under their beds was because she would easily be seen there. The men worked out this whole elaborate system and trained her to it, so she could be in their cell and sit on their laps as they ate, to be fed from their plates, and then have a safe, out of sight spot to curl up in during the day. She is depicted, however, as the book goes on in the illustrations, on pillows a lot. So it seems as though little Pelagia kind of became an open secret in the prison and the rules about her got looser and looser as her time with the men wore on.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This book also mentions the day that Steinlen visited them. Quote, in the dim light of Bruin, a second figure advanced, discreetly, preoccupied with holding an enormous tomcat in his arms. The head keeper's cat captured on the way. Steinlen cried. Gigu, the brilliant illustrator of Le Chat Noir, shook the outstretched hands, then, after a few words exchanged, sat down, took a sheet of paper and a pencil from his pocket, and immediately began sketching animals and people.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, so he was very clearly already known both as an artist and in anarchist circles. Coming up, we will talk about one of the show's favorite subjects, and that is more cats. But first we're going to hear from the sponsors that keep Stuff youf Missed in History Class going. Unlike the people we normally talk about on the show, we are living in a time when Internet connectivity is standard part of life for most people and there is literally no way we could research and prepare our podcast without the Internet. If connectivity goes down for me, it can be really hard to make up that lost time. And for businesses, Internet connectivity is even more of a necessity. Spectrum Business keeps businesses of all sizes connected seamlessly with fast and reliable Internet, advanced Wi Fi, phone, TV and mobile services. Spectrum business offers 100% US based customer support and they do it 24 7. That means you can always stay up and running no matter what hours your business keeps. Spectrum Business also will tailor connectivity solutions just for you. They will put a package together that is built for your business budget. Millions of business owners rely on Spectrum Business to keep them connected, so visit spectrum.combusiness to learn more. Restrictions apply. Service is not available in all areas.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Brought to you in part by Vital Farms One of my very favorite easy meals to make is to fry up an egg in some chili oil, throw that over rice, maybe wilt a little spinach and garlic. So I have some greens in there. Delicious. So fast, so easy. You can make it with Vital Farm's pasture raised eggs. These hens have access to open pastures, fresh air and sunshine and you can actually trace your eggs back to the farm they came from. There's a little thing on the side of the carton. You can find the farm name and look it up. See pictures plus Vital Farms is a certified bee corporation, which I always appreciate. That means they are committed to improving the lives of people, animals and the planet through food. So farmers who care hens that get to roam and eggs that you can feel good about. Next time you are in the store, look for the black carton in the egg aisle and visit vitalpharms.com to learn more. Vital Good Eggs no Shortcuts

[Matt Rogers]

this is Matt Rogers from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Matt Rogers]

Hey, so what if you could boost the wifi to one of your devices when you need it most?

[Bowen Yang]

Because Xfinity Wi Fi Care and what if your wifi could fix itself before there's even really a problem? Xfinity is so reliable. It does that too.

[Matt Rogers]

What if your WI fi had parental instincts? Xfinity WI Fi is part nanny, part ninja, protecting your kids while they're online.

[Bowen Yang]

And finally, what if your WI fi was like the smartest WI fi?

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, it's WI fi that is so smart it makes everything work better together.

[Bowen Yang]

Bottom line, Xfinity is smart and reliable. You deserve the peace of mind of having WI fi that it's got your back.

[Matt Rogers]

Xfinity. Imagine that.

[Holly Fry]

Wouldn't it be great to never buy gas again? EVs are as easy to charge as your phone, and they are a perfect addition to your everyday life. Most people are only driving about 40 miles a day, and most EVs can handle 200 to 400 miles of range on a charge. And there are hundreds of EV models available today, so there's something perfect for every lifestyle and budget. I drive an ev. I've had it for a couple of years. It's my favorite car I've ever owned. It is so fun to drive. The pickup is incredible. It's. It's super agile and it is easy to maintain. The way forward is electric. Learn [e-mail]. So to circle back to cats, when we said Steinlen loved them, that's putting it pretty mildly. He loved cats. He regularly fed the strays of Montmartre. He came to view the cats of Paris as the mascots of the bohemian movement, wild, free and alluring. He made sculptures of cats. He sketched cats. He painted cats. When he took poster commissions, which is where a lot of his money was coming from, he often added a cat or two into the art. His poster for Company Francaise de Chocolat d't, that's French Company of Chocolates and Teas, features his beloved Emily as well as their daughter Colette and a black cat in the foreground. Similarly, the advertisement for Les Pur de la Vingeune sterilize that's pure sterilized milk from La Vingeun, features his daughter Colette, again drinking a bowl of milk, while three cats a gray tabby, a solid black, and a calico paw at the girl's red dress. In some instances, it was obvious that cats should be included in his commercial art, like the art that he completed for Clinique Charon, which is a veterinary clinic, is a very beautiful poster that features a young woman surrounded by both dogs and cats, and his non commercial paintings frequently featured only cats. His work Apotheosis of Cats, which was painted in 1890, features a swarm of cats all traversing over a City seemingly drawn to an immense cat in the far background, which appears as a silhouette backlit by the moon. Even when a cat was not part of the active image of a work that he did, it sometimes appeared as a sort of iconic signature. One of the lithographs he created is called Young Lovers Embracing in the street, and it shows a sketch of exactly what the title suggests, but in the white border that frames the main image. So not interacting with the image at all, there's a black cat that's just shown racing across the very bottom. The quote, every dog has his day, but the nights are reserved for the cats, is often attributed to Steinlen Alth. There's no real evidence that I could find that he ever wrote or said that, but his work sure does seem to support that sentiment.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

As the 1890s continued to feel, Steinlen continued to create illustrations for papers and magazines, but he started working more for political publications. Instead of just cabaret papers, he started working with the socialist paper le Chambard in 1893. A lot of his political work was focused on workers rights, as well as the problems of the justice system and the military. We mentioned his commercial poster work for a dairy, which is in contrast to some of his protest work about adulterated milk in France. We've talked about tainted milk in the US on the show that aired back in 2021. But France had its own problems with adulterated milk being sold to poor families whose children were often made sick from it. Steinlen participated in a special publication criticizing the dairy industry for selling spoiled milk, along with more than four dozen other artists. The title of this translated to the Licensed Poisoners, the Milk Falsifiers.

[Holly Fry]

But just as those cycles of freedom of the press and then a rescinding of those freedoms had played out numerous times in French history before the field was there, in the early 1890s, new laws were put into place to curb anarchist writing in activities. There were three of these laws. They're known collectively as the Loiret or villainous laws. And they were rolled out after a non lethal bombing happened at the Chamber of Deputies. So the first law forbid anarchist publications. The second law was a bit nebulous, as it named a crime that was called the Understanding, which was supposed to somehow encapsulate the state of being an anarchist. Maybe. Seriously, it is a very confusing legal concept. It actually tied up this legislation for a long time because various politicians struggled to define what they were getting at in this law. The third law made it explicitly illegal to engage in any anarchist activities. These laws are very Complex in their context and their execution and their impact. But in relation to Theophil Steinlen, there were two very obvious effects. One, he started publishing his art under the pseudonym Petit Pierre, and two, he eventually fled Paris for Munich.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The decision to leave Paris has to have been difficult because in terms of his art career, things were just really starting to take off. He had his first solo exhibition in the spring of 1894, and if he weren't involved in anti government political groups, he probably would have continued to enjoy success as a painter and a poster artist. But if he placed himself in the public eye with his art, he knew he would probably be arrested because of his ties to anarchists. So In July of 1894 he went to Germany and started producing art for a socialist magazine there called Simplicissimus. While he was away, a large group of activists in Paris were put on trial for charges of anarchy in the event now known as the trial of 30. That trial was supposed to show how large and dangerous the anarchist network of France was and provide legitimizing context for the Loire. But it failed. All but a handful of the defendants were acquitted. With the failure of the trial, Steinlen, like other activists, thought it was safe to return to Paris. And he did that in October. He had only been away for a few months and had visited Norway in addition to Germany.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, at that point it wasn't like the laws all went away, but everybody was kind of like, you don't know what you're doing with these. They don't make sense and you don't know how to enforce them. So, so it's fine. The year after all of that upheaval, though, was very busy for Steinlen, both professionally and personally. He jumped right back into working with an assortment of socialist papers. He had a lot of commissions for artwork for posters and songbooks, and he illustrated the COVID of Les Soliloques du Pauvre, a poetry book by Johann Richtes.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Dayfill had remained a Swiss citizen up to this point, but now he finally applied to become a naturalized French citizen. He and the woman he had moved to Paris with, Emily May, had lived as husband and wife throughout their time in France and had their daughter Colette, but they'd never legally gotten married. They had a small but official wedding in 1895 at the 18th arrondissement government offices.

[Holly Fry]

In 1896, Steinlen was commissioned to create the poster that many of our listeners would recognize. That is Tournai du Chat Noir de Rudolph Sally. That translates to Tour of Rudolph Sally's Chat Noir. The cabaret acts from that nightclub Wood tour. And this simple but striking graphic with its black, gold and red color scheme was instantly recognizable. And it has endured to still be in print 130 years later on all manner of things, from art prints to coffee cups. You can get socks, you can get kind of anything, literally anything. Go to Montmartre in Paris. Find a thing that isn't printed with it. It's hard to do. New spoofs of it pop up seemingly every day in pop culture, featuring everything from bats to demogorgons. Theophil Steinlen surely could not have anticipated the life this particular poster would have, and he was soon moving on to other projects. Incidentally, though, the nightclub and touring company Le Chat Noir did not have the same longevity as this piece of art that all shut down just the year after this poster was made.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Other places had the same name later. Like, if you go look for pictures, you will find pictures of other establishments.

[Holly Fry]

We're going to talk about that at the end.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah, I'm just saying for people who are maybe confused in this moment. Steinlen also has ties to the Dreyfus affair, which we covered as a two parter in 2021. That was the scandal in which Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French artillery officer, was convicted of treason and sentenced to life in prison. Although another man, an officer named Ferdinand Wilson Esterhazy, was the true culprit, Steinlen was, very unsurprisingly to me, publicly vocal in his criticism of the military and the COVID up regarding the true details of this case.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, if you listen to that two parter, which Tracy did the research and writing on, a lot of people were pretty vocal about that. But Steinland being very associated already with kind of incendiary political groups, it is not at all surprising that he was really angry about it. At the start of the 20th century, Steinlen continued to illustrate for political papers, including the anarchist papers Les Ton Nouveau and La Ciet Auber. And Steinlen started to write for these papers as well as illustrate for them, which was just the beginning of a new level of activism for him in 1902. He was one of the earliest crusaders for France to have a union for painters and draftsmen. The General Confederation of Labor in France was only a few years old at the time, and Steinlen wanted artists to be recognized as laborers as well. The General Confederation did add artists to its roster in 1905, and Theophile Steinlen gave a speech at that ceremony in 1904 and 1905. Steinlen extended his connections in both the art and political worlds by joining the society of Draftsmen and humorists and the society of Friends of the Russian People and Annexed peoples.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Steinlen's style and subject matter shifted significantly at the onset of World War I. He'd often drawn with a sort of whimsical feel to his work, even when he illustrated the prison memoir. But his desire to use his art to inform the public about the realities of war led him to a more serious, darker tone. Steinlen was a pacifist. He made it a point to visit battlefields so that he could sketch what he saw there. His work includes wounded soldiers, refugees, and the people whose lives were turned upside down and exploited to provide for the war effort. While he had been commenting both with words and art on the inequalities of the world and the plight of the working class, his wartime work took on a more urgent tone. Stalin's work about the war was never about active battle scenes. It also didn't directly involve politics. It portrayed all the people who were often overlooked, like the poor children and women, and showed the impact of the war on them. This is really very much in line with his political views, which always centered the importance of the common man and the idea of equality and freedom from oppression and exploitation.

[Holly Fry]

One of these works, for example, is titled the Exodus, and it's a simple but dramatic charcoal sketch of a family of refugees carrying their belongings as they walk searching for safe haven. Other families fill in the background with slightly lighter shading, and it's an image of Belgium being evacuated after a German attack. This image has also been called the March of the Orphans. And this and other drawings of wartime tableau, including portraits of grieving women standing over coffins that are draped in French flags, were made into etchings so they could be sold in runs of prints because they really wanted a lot of people to see this. Once the war ended, Steinlen continued to work with a variety of socialist and anarchist papers. As an illustrator and occasional writer.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The end of the artist's life seems abrupt. Tafael Alexandre steinlen died in 1923. His ashes were interred at St. Vincent Cemetery in Montmartre. He was 64. And if there's a cause of death recorded somewhere, Holly was not able to find it. Or any mention of an illness or an underlying condition.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, it's all just kind of like he was living his life. He was making his art and then died. Two months after Steinlen's death in February 1924, an obituary for him ran in Arts and Decoration magazine, written by Matlak Price. Price was a writer and a professor at the American School of Design and the Rhode Island School of Design, and he was considered an authority on poster art. He wrote a book on the subject in 1911, and his write up about Steinlen is filled with admiration and the sense of loss of something truly great in the art world. One section of it reads, quote, 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. Nor will Steinlen's art deteriorate with time. It is too real, too sincere, too literary and dramatic in its quality. Another cycle of appreciation will revive Steinlen as one of the old masters, and again students will find in his drawings and lithographs some, at least, of the old thrill. Steinlen is dead. Perhaps, unfortunately for us all, much of his influence is dead today in the field of the graphic arts. It is not that Steinlein's art is out of date, but rather that it is so much better, so much more living and vivid than most of the work today that it is a little disquieting to have it about as a reminder. It disturbs our illusions of progress. We ought to have done much more than we have since 1890.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The legacy of Steinlen's work is varied. On the one hand, outside of art circles, his war art, which is arguably his most important work, is not very well known at all. But his poster art is revered. His image of Le Chat Noir is instantly recognizable. It's helped sustain interest in the bohemian nightclub scene of Paris. As we mentioned, it's been spoofed by innumerable artists around the world. Because of that ongoing interest, there have been several copycat venues that have popped up in recent years to capitalize on the fascination that the public has with the era and with Le Chat Noir specifically. And a Chat Noir immersive theater experience is set to open in London this month. If you are listening, when this episode drops, staged by the group the Lost Estate.

[Holly Fry]

We didn't mention it specifically in the episode, but there were additional locations that were opened of Le Chanoir during Steinland's time, but they all folded and now we have many around the world. But they are homages, truly.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah,

[Holly Fry]

but all are, you know, created and opened with incredible love for the legacy of Le Chanoire. Do you want to talk about coffee for a minute, listener? Yes, I always want to talk about coffee. This is from our listener Caro, who writes, Hi, Holly and Tracy. I started playing your recent episode on Melita Benz and The creation of coffee filters. Assuming I had never used the company's products, it wasn't until you mentioned their signature red and green packaging that I realized I had in fact used those coffee filters several times. A few years ago I started seeing a self professed coffee snob who only made pour over and didn't have a programmable coffee machine. I usually woke up before them, so I was groggily learning bean and water ratios, thinking this would all be so much easier if I had some caffeine in my system. Lo and behold, I was using Melitta filters, but I was too sleepy to notice. Thankfully, I was able to look past the caffeine logistics because that coffee snob has become the love of my life. We've been together for three years. I get choked up over this. It makes me so happy. We've been together three years and are moving in together in a few weeks. Congratulations to the two of you. I hope it is a wonderful time living together. Cara writes, I'm still up earlier than them, so they have since bought a programmable coffee pot. See? Compromise. It's love. We try to treasure slow cups of pour over on Saturday mornings. Though attached as pet tacks are pictures of our cat Charlie. I tried to play your podcast for him to make him better informed about the world, but. But he's more interested in demonstrating how fast he can run from one end of the apartment to the other. He's more of an athlete than a scholar. Thanks to the great podcast Caro. This cat is so cute and he looks like exactly my flavor of trouble.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yay.

[Holly Fry]

I love a little wild acting cat. They're the best. Yeah. I'm. I'm surprised at how. How common Melita filters are still, even though I know they're a huge company. I don't know. I. In my head I'm like, but in Europe. But no. Yeah, literally on my local grocery store shelves. There they are.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah. I had a mental image like as. As soon as I got to the like the brand name part, I had a mental image of like the color scheme and the logo and all of that. And when I looked at it I was like, yeah, that is exactly what I thought. Yeah.

[Holly Fry]

Yep, that's the one. That is the one. Also, shout out to our listener and defined destinations traveler Scott, who texted me this morning about the Melina Benz podcast. Cause you know, we all love a little coffee Scott. That brightened my day. So if you would like to write to us, you can do [e-mail] you can go to mistinhistory.com if you wanna see our show Notes for the episodes and if you haven't subscribed to the podcast and you would like to, that's easy as pie. The iHeartRadio app, or wherever it is you listen.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Stuff youf Missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows brought to you in part by Vital Farms. I love eggs. I turn to them all the time as a quick and easy way to start a meal. And Vital Farms eggs are brought to you by hens that have fresh air and sunshine, and you can actually look up on the carton and see the farm that those eggs came from. Vital Farms is also a certified bee corporation with a purpose to improve the lives of people, animals and the planet through food. Look for the black egg carton in the egg aisle and visit vitalfarms.com to learn more. Vital Good Eggs no Shortcuts this is

[Matt Rogers]

Matt Rogers from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Bowen Yang]

This is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

[Matt Rogers]

Hey, so what if you could boost the wifi to one of your dev

[Bowen Yang]

Because Xfinity WI fi can. And what if your WI fi could fix itself before there's even really a problem? Xfinity is so reliable. It does that too.

[Matt Rogers]

What if your wi fi had parental instincts? Xfinity WI Fi is part nanny, part ninja, protecting your kids while they're online.

[Bowen Yang]

And finally, what if your WI fi was like the smartest wi fi?

[Matt Rogers]

Yeah, it's WI fi that is so smart it makes everything work better together.

[Bowen Yang]

Bottom line, Xfinity is smart and reliable. You deserve the peace of mind of having WI Fi that that's got your back.

[Matt Rogers]

Xfinity Imagine that T Mobile has the

[Holly Fry]

best plan on the best network. Just ask Kevin Bacon.

[Bowen Yang]

Today, business happens virtually everywhere.

[Holly Fry]

That's why you need Super Mobile from T Mobile.

[Bowen Yang]

The best plan on the best network letting you run your business from your phone like never before. In moments of high demand, T Mobile's

[Holly Fry]

network adapts to put your business connection first.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Discover [e-mail] best business plan based on combination of advanced network performance, coverage layers and security features. Best Network based on Analysis by OGLE of Speed Test Intelligence Data 1H 2025 Oogle trademarks User license and reprinted with permission.

[Holly Fry]

Wouldn't it be great to never buy gas again? EVs are as easy to charge as your phone, and they are a perfect addition to your everyday life. Most people are only driving about 40 miles a day, and most EVs can handle 200 to 400 miles of range on a charge. And there are hundreds of EV models available today, so there's something perfect for every lifestyle and budget. I drive an ev. I've had it for a couple of years. It's my favorite I've ever owned. It is so fun to drive. The pickup is incredible. It's super agile and it is easy to maintain. The way forward is electric. Learn [e-mail] this is an iHeart podcast.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Guaranteed human.