CYCLES COMIOT — Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen
Original stone-lithograph plate issued in 1899 at Imprimerie Chaix (Paris) for Les Maîtres de l’Affiche. This plate (no. 183) features Steinlen’s celebrated design for Cycles Comiot, created at the height of the Belle Époque cycling boom.
The poster highlights the exhilaration of modern speed: a rider charges forward on a Comiot bicycle while geese run for cover the composition filled with humor and energy. Steinlen’s strong diagonals and expressive line work capture both motion and excitement, while appealing to the new culture of cycling that swept through Paris in the 1890s.
Les Maîtres de l’Affiche (1895–1900) was a prestigious subscription series directed by Jules Chéret, presenting small-format original lithographs of the era’s most important posters. Printed at Chaix on fine wove paper and issued with the blindstamp, these plates gave collectors direct access to authentic works by leading poster artists, including Steinlen, Mucha, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Chéret himself.
Title: Cycles Comiot
Artist: Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859–1923)
Date: 1899 (Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, plate no. 183)
Printer: Imprimerie Chaix, Paris
Size: 11.5 × 15.5 inches (approx. 29 × 39 cm)
Print Type: Stone lithograph
Condition: Excellent “A,” near-mint on fine wove paper with blindstamp
Comments: Authentic plate from Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, produced at Chaix under the direction of Jules Chéret. Bright impression with vivid color. A classic Steinlen design celebrating the energy and humor of early French bicycle advertising.
Original stone-lithograph plate printed circa 1897 at Imprimerie Chaix (Paris) for Les Affiches Illustrées. This reduced-format lithograph reproduces Théophile Steinlen’s celebrated poster for Lait Pur de la Vingeanne Stérilisé, one of the most beloved advertising designs of the Belle Époque. The image shows a young girl drinking a glass of milk while three eager cats look on. Steinlen drew inspiration directly from his daughter and household pets, bringing warmth, intimacy, and humor to the commercial poster.
Les Affiches Illustrées (1896–1899) was one of the first journals devoted entirely to poster art, produced in limited numbers for the growing collector market. Published under Jules Chéret’s artistic direction at the Chaix atelier, the series presented stone-lithograph reductions of important contemporary posters, printed on fine paper. These editions allowed subscribers to own authentic examples of poster art in a practical, collectible format.
Steinlen, famed for his depictions of Montmartre life and cats, created in this design a perfect fusion of everyday charm and Art Nouveau elegance. Today, Lait Pur Stérilisé remains one of the most recognizable and endearing French posters of the period.
Title: Lait Pur Stérilisé (Lait de la Vingeanne)
Artist: Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859–1923)
Date: c.1897 (after the original 1890s poster)
Printer: Imprimerie Chaix, Paris (Les Affiches Illustrées)
Size: 21.5 × 30 cm (approx. 8.5 × 11.8 in)
Print Type: Stone lithograph
Condition: Excellent “A,” near-mint on fine wove paper
Comments: Authentic plate from Les Affiches Illustrées, produced at Chaix under Jules Chéret. Bright impression with vivid color. One of Steinlen’s most iconic advertising images, featuring his daughter and cats.
