This charming man …
The satirical singer and poet Aristide Bruant was famed for songs that conjured fin-de-siècle Paris’s hoi polloi underworld for an upmarket cabaret crowd. In Toulouse-Lautrec’s iconic 1892 poster Eldorado … Aristide Bruant Dans Son Cabaret, he looks every inch the fearsome wit, who delighted his rich audience by insulting them.
All dressed up …
The wide-brimmed felt hat, cloak and red scarf was his signature style. He would don this eye-catching uniform and strut around Montmartre, thrilling to the sound of onlookers muttering about him.
So solid …
The poster, with its thick black and red – inspired by Japanese prints – and hand-drawn lettering, was originally deemed deeply shocking. Created for a performance at the polite Ambassadeurs club, its director turned it down.
Now you see me …
When Bruant threatened to walk, however, copies were pasted all over Paris. Today, it is Toulouse-Lautrec’s art that has stood the test of time, becoming better known than its subject.
