| Overview |
| One aspect of life was significantly changed during the Belle Époque: the press expanded considerably. From a handful of journals published during the Second Empire, the number of publications exploded. This was good news for writers and artists for whom the market expanded. But increased competition created demand for greater sensation. And when news slowed at home, journals sought sensation abroad. Inadvertently they contributed to a climate of renewed populist nationalism, the culmination of which was unmitigated disaster. Hermann-Paul contributed to the following journals:
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| Père Peinard |
 Father Peinard was an anarchist weekly founded in Paris in 1889 by Émile Pouget. The newspaper called for direct action against the political and economic systems that it found exploitive. Its harshest criticisms were reserved for military and clergy, the chief enemies of the anarchist movement. Father Peinard was particularly vocal in its calls for action. As a result, it was always under intense scrutiny.
In 1893, the Third Republic passed the "rogue laws" in an effort to quell anarchist violence. The laws made it a crime to incite violence and crimes against property with propaganda. Father Peinard was frequently prosecuted and its managers were often fined and sometimes imprisoned. Tough job. Hermann-Paul's illustrations appeared in the weekly as well as its yearly almanachs.
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| Gil Blas |
 Gil Blas was initially published as a supplement in 1891. It was named for the title character of Alain-René Lesage's eighteenth century novel. Theophile Alexandre Steinlen was the chief illustrator and art director from the publication's debut until he resigned at the end of 1900. The journal continued until 1903. A serialized story was cut abruptly in the middle when Gil Blas closed its doors.
Without question, Steinlen was the main artistic contributor to Gil Blas. He published more covers than any other artist including the one on the left. The journal featured many prominent artists including Hermann-Paul.
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| l'Escamouche |
 l'Escamouche or "the Skirmish" was a short lived journal that appeared during the Belle Époque. It was named for an engagement that precedes a battle. l'Escamouche was founded by Georges Darien and ran from November 1893 to January 1894. Curiously, this unsuccessful publication employed million dollar talent. Its contributors included Talouse-Latrec, Henri Ibels, Jean-Édouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard.
Hermann-Paul was a frequent contributor. He did several covers including this one from December 1893 about obesity. She says, "You are my superb and generously proportioned lion!"
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| Le Figaro |
 Le Figaro In August 1899, Dreyfus was re-tried in Rennes. Hermann-Paul covered the trial as an illustrator for the center-right daily. By the time of the trial, his feelings about the Affair were well-documented. Two years prior, Le Figaro received incriminating portions of the Uhlan letter which it published days after Zola's declaration that "truth is on the march." Le Figaro's decision to send a Dreyfusard was probably not unintentional. During the trial, Hermann-Paul produced dozens of delightful caricatures of major courtroom personalities. His final piece was submitted after a guilty verdict. He depicted a dejected Dreyfus with the caption "Le Innocent."
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