Theophile Steinlen truly found fame at Le Chat du Noir.

The owner of the Parisian club, Rodolphe Salis, like Steinlen, was a Swiss man. They probably got drunk and homesick together. But they had more in common than just their motherland. They were both artists. Well, Salis used to be an artist before he quit and set up his own bar. The Tournee du Chat Noir was his masterpiece. 

Salis was quite the legend in bohemian Parisian society. He started the club out of a two-room set-up. It was close quarters and it only got tighter. People were spilling out of everywhere. In three years he was forced to move his club to a painter friend’s private mansion in Montmarte. He was successful and how. Everyone was at Le Chat Noir, and I mean everyone. Even princes weren’t spared. The future King Edward VII was once greeted by Salis saying, “Well, look here: it looks like the Prince of Wales all pissed!” 

Salis had some pretty radical ideas for the club. They published a weekly journal full of jokes, songs, and poems. Theophile contributed to 192 editions of the journal. Pubs with live music weren't popular yet back in the day. Le Chat Noir was one of the first cabarets in modern history.

Salis was all business and, honestly, pretty ballsy. He decided to get his show on the road, calling it the Tournee Chat du Noir. They played all over France in rented venues, another surprisingly uncommon practice back in the day. Steinlen created this poster as an advertisement for the traveling show in 1896. The black cat became an associated icon for the cabaret. It was like the bat signal for bohemians.