For the most part the illustrations in Gil Blas are coloured. They are satires on life drawn to accompany some “Saut d’esprit” or to portray simply street scenes as Steinlen knows them, or are political cartoons. In his street studies he has been relentless in his realism, careless of how unpleasant may be the impression of these frankly told horrors. No detail of sordid existence has been neglected in his bold depicting of the city’s misery.
Needless to say how admirable is the technique in these sketches, the fresh vigorous work of a man whose spirit alone was in the subject, whose ambition chafed for the leisure to create in what to him was the great province of art, the picture, the oil-painting.
It was in the early part of his career that he added to the glory of the modern poster. Artists of distinction in London and Paris have not hesitated to employ their talent in street-wall decoration. In France, Steinlen has many rivals amongst favourite painters of the day, most notably Léandre, Willette, Cheret. But the Steinlen posters have not been surpassed nor superseded. They are immensely popular, peculiarly happy.
It is scarcely necessary to recall “Lait Pur Sterilisé,” the enormous poster of world-wide popularity; it is universally known—there was a craze for it in Paris and in New York—of its type it is perfection. The subject is a dear little girl, red-haired, red-robed, seated before
A STEINLEN POSTER
a table drinking a bowl of milk, under the jealous eyes of three great cats. The child is Steinlen’s little daughter, and the drawing of child and cats is as skilful and clever as it well can be.
There are several charming affiches especially designed for Sarah Bernhardt—others for Yvette Guilbert. Chiefest of these is the famous Café des Ambassadeurs. Steinlen made in this a striking portrait of the original café chanteuse; and Yvette,—slender, lithe, enchanting, as Paris and the world has found her,—boasts no more characteristic portrait of herself than the Steinlen poster.