Swiss artist Theophile Alexandre Steinlen (1859 – 1923) created warm, intimate posters of cabarets and music hall performers. Initially printing textiles, Steinlen moved to Paris’ Bohemian Montmartre section, where his Art Nouveau style blossomed in the avant-garde atmosphere. While living there he created numerous ads as well as hundreds of magazine illustrations and distinctive nightclub posters featuring his trademark cats. In addition to the posters, he is also known for his depictions of everyday working class Parisian scenes which display a deep sensitivity for his subjects.

Also known as silk screening, serigraphy is a process by which multiple layers of ink are manually pressed through fine screens, resulting in an art print that resembles a painting on paper.