Exposition des Artistes Animaliers 1909
Buy this print on Etsy →When the second annual Exposition des Artistes Animaliers needed a poster, there was really only one artist for the job. Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen had spent his whole career drawn to feline subjects, and this 1909 design distils that lifelong devotion into a single, unforgettable cat - the natural ambassador for a celebration of animal art.
The elegant creature at the centre of the composition is pure Steinlen: alert, self-possessed and rendered with an intimacy that goes well beyond mere likeness. He understood not just the anatomy of the cat but its psychology - the poise, the watchfulness, the quiet mystery. Stripped of unnecessary ornament, the image lets that understanding speak for itself, making it as appealing today as it was to the exhibition's visitors more than a century ago. Set almost alone against its background, the cat carries the entire poster on presence alone - a bold choice only an artist utterly sure of his subject would dare, and one that has made the image a lasting favourite among cat lovers and collectors of fine printmaking.
Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859-1923) was a Swiss-French Art Nouveau artist famed for his tender Montmartre scenes and the graceful cats that recur throughout his work. A keen observer of everyday Parisian life, he brought warmth and humour to the commercial poster, and no artist of his era is more closely associated with the feline form.
Art Nouveau swept across Europe at the turn of the twentieth century, sweeping away rigid academic convention in favour of sinuous 'whiplash' lines, botanical ornament and idealised figures. It was the movement that first turned the humble advertising poster into a genuine art form and made the city street an open-air gallery.
Displayed at scale, this print becomes a characterful focal point that cat lovers find irresistible. Its confident line and warm palette hold their own above a sofa, bed or console, anchor a gallery wall of mixed prints, and bring personality and charm to a living room, hallway, reading nook, kitchen or studio.
Printed to order on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper with fade-resistant pigment inks for rich, gallery-quality colour and crisp detail. Choose your size from the drop-down menu - 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30 or 24x36 inches. Carefully packaged and shipped rolled in a sturdy tube (or flat for the smallest size); frame not included.
This is a faithful reproduction of the original lithograph - colour-matched and printed to archival standards rather than a flat mass-market copy. It preserves the texture and character of the antique poster while arriving crisp, clean and ready to frame.
A memorable gift for anyone who loves Steinlen, cats or vintage French art - and a lasting way to bring a piece of poster history into a home, studio or workplace. Reproduced from a high-resolution scan of the original; subtle age-toning is part of its authentic historic character.
