THEOPHILE-ALEXANDRE STEINLEN (1859-1923) LAIT PUR STÉRILISÉ. 1894. 53 3/4x37 1/2 inches, 137x96 cm. Charles Verneau, Paris. Condition B+: repaired tears in margins and image; vertical and horizontal folds; restoration at edges. Born in Switzerland, Steinlen moved to Paris in 1882 and settled in Montmartre where he joined the Chat Noir circle, providing illustrations for many magazines. Anatole France called him "the master of the street" and deemed his work "epic," as his illustrations, born from his personal Socialistic and humanistic sympathies, found inspiration in the everyday life and miseries of Paris' proletarian communities. His other sources of inspiration were gentler and happier; he adored cats and his daughter, both of whom appear in his most charming posters. Lait Pur Sterilise is the first poster Charles Verneau printed for Steinlen. It was only Steinlen's second poster in his "mature style" (Arwas, p. 54). The artist and the printer formed a lasting relationship and went on to produce some of the era's most memorable posters. The poster instantly became a success and has remained an iconic image of the period. It is almost deceptively simple, featuring the artist's daughter, Colette, sitting at a table sipping from a bowl of milk, with three cats at her feet hoping for a single spilled drop. It is a delicate image, beautifully drawn on stone with a "flowing curvilinearity" (Cates & Gill p. 122). Steinlen used green for the outline, as opposed to black, which adds to the soft feel of the image. Crauzat p. 134, Bargiel & Zagrodski p. 40, Maitres p. 54. Masters, pl. 95, Wine Spectator pl. 112.
