Fanfreluches

About this artwork

blad: hoogte 501 mm x breedte 320 mm

Art Historical Context

**Fanfreluches** is a striking lithograph by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, created in 1897. Measuring 501 mm high by 320 mm wide, this work showcases the artist's skill in producing bold, reproducible prints that were staples of Parisian visual culture during the Belle Époque. Steinlen (1859–1923), a Swiss-born illustrator who thrived in Montmartre, was a master of poster art, often blending social realism with decorative elegance. His style drew from the Art Nouveau movement while emphasizing everyday life, cabaret scenes, and expressive figures. Lithography, the medium here, was revolutionary in the 1890s, allowing artists like Steinlen to achieve rich colors and fine details through stone-based printing, making art accessible beyond elite galleries. Evoking the playful French term *fanfreluche*—suggesting whimsical frills or fancies—this piece reflects the era's exuberant theater and street advertising boom. Alongside contemporaries like Toulouse-Lautrec, Steinlen's posters democratized art, capturing fin-de-siècle Paris's vibrant spirit for all to enjoy. A window into cultural effervescence!

About the Artist

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen · 1859–1923

Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, born on November 10, 1859, in Lausanne, Switzerland, hailed from a family with artistic roots; his grandfather, Christian Gottlieb Steinlen, was a painter and draftsman. After two years studying theology at the University of Lausanne, he trained in industrial ornamental drawing in Mulhouse under Schoenhaupt and worked as a designer trainee at a textile mill. Encourage...