*THÉOPHILE ALEXANDRE STEINLEN (1859-1923) Tournée du Chat Noir. Affichette. 1896. Lithographie (imp. Verneau). 365 x 550 [395 x 615]. Crauzat 496. Impression en couleurs. Très belle et fraîche épreuve sur vélin mince chamois, entoilée. Petites décharges d’encre noire dans l’angle inférieur gauche du feuillet. Toutes marges. « Steinlen designed this now-famous poster to announce the French tour of the Chat Noir artists. The slightly mangy but jaunty cat with the piercing yellow eyes symbolizes the unconventionality of the cabaret, where people from all walks of life felt at home and which could count on contributions from contemporary performers, musicians, writers and artists. Rumour has it that its founder, Rodolphe Salis, gave the cabaret its name after almost falling over a black cat while inspecting the premises. Of course the name also had unmistakably erotic connotations, which could be put to good use in naughty songs. Steinlen gave the cat an aureole – like a true icon – and also the ironic title Montjoye Montmartre, since this hill in Paris was an artistic place of pilgrimage for all Bohemians of the fin de siècle. » (Fleur Roos Rosa de Carvalho, Marije Vellekop, Printmaking in Paris; The Rage for prints at the fin de siècle, Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, 2012, p. 152). Tous les lots de cette vente sont soumis à 5,5 % de frais additionnels au titre de la taxe à l’importation temporaire. En cas de réexportation en dehors de l’Union Européenne, ces frais pourront faire l’objet d’un remboursement à l’acquéreur.