Théophile Alexandre STEINLEN (1859-1923) The Black... Lot 1

Théophile Alexandre STEINLEN (1859-1923) The Black Cat Sign in painted cut-out and openwork sheet metal H: 76 cm - W: 131 cm (weld on a rear leg, in used condition) Exhibition : Maison de la Poésie - Théâtre Molière (Paris), 2005 History: -Rodolphe Salis, owner of the cabaret "Le Chat Noir", founded in 1881, commissioned two signs for his establishment from Adolphe Willette, and a third from Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, a famous painter, engraver, illustrator, poster artist and sculptor, and an emblematic artist of Montmartre. -These three signs were all purchased by Docteur Bastard at the sale of the Rodolphe Salis Estate in Châtellerault on September 30, 1965. -In 2006, Docteur Bastard's daughter sold one of the two Willette signs to the Musée Carnavalet, the second (Osenat sale, May 25, 2019) and this one by Steinlen to the current owner.