Page:The illustrators of Montmartre.pdf/61



In the early eighties Morin started drawing for La Caricature and Le Chat Noir, and later on for the Revue Illustrée, the Revue des Lettres et des Arts, Figaro Illustré, St. Nicolas, Le Canard Sauvage, La Vie en Rose, &c.

Morin was one of the leading spirits of the "Chat Noir" shadow pantomimes, and produced there in 18go his enchanting "Carnaval de Venise," in 1892 "Pierrot Pornographe," in 1894 "Le Roi débarque," and in 1896 "L'honnête Gendarme." In 1891 he produced his pantomime "Au Dahomey" at the Musée Grèvin.

A fair sized room having been acquired as an annexe to the artistic cabaret of the "Chat Noir," a white sheet was fixed at one end of it over a miniature stage, and surrounded by a quaint and elaborate gold frame. From the wings at the rear were thrown on to the sheet the shadows of marvellous little figures cut out by such artists as Morin, the great Henri Riviére, Caran-d'-Ache, Henri Somm and others, who thereby achieved great fame. All kinds of ingenious little pieces of machinery and clever combinations were invented and employed to build up the great success, which proved attractive enough to draw "all Paris" to Montmartre for some years, and to fill the pockets of proprietor Rudolph Salis, the "King of Montjoie-Montmartre," so full that towards 1897 he was enabled to purchase and retire to a noble estate in the country. From this estate, however, he was shortly