Affiche voor het tijdschrift Le Chat Noir 1882 - 1899

Léonce Burret created this poster for the magazine ‘Le Chat Noir’ using lithography, a printmaking technique, around the turn of the 20th century. ‘Le Chat Noir’ - ‘The Black Cat’ - was a popular Parisian cabaret and the namesake of a journal that circulated in the bohemian Montmartre district. Burret’s poster is striking for its graphic style, an aesthetic choice that was typical of the era. Look closely at the figure of the woman reading a copy of ‘Le Chat Noir’. She is fashionable and modern, a member of the bourgeoisie interested in radical new ideas about art and politics. The magazine was sold for 10 centimes, making it accessible to a wide audience, and reflecting the radical politics of the artistic avant-garde in France. The social historian can help us to understand the contexts in which this image was made. For example, by looking at sources that tell us about the history of French printmaking, or by looking at archives that document the radical politics of the time.