Bruant sang satirical and sentimental songs in the crude argot of the streets, engaging in a raucous banter with his audience. The manager of the Ambassadeurs objected so strongly to Lautrec's poster that the singer had to threaten to cancel his appearances before it was used and Lautrec never did receive his fee.

Lautrec and Bruant had known each other for years, since the mid-1880s when Bruant was performing at the Chat Noir. By the time of this poster, he had acquired an almost legendary reputation, which led to his bookings at "Les Ambass" and the Eldorado. A savvy performer and self-promoter, Bruant developed a consistent look and act. Master of his stage, he took on the power and authority of a belligerent host, controlling guests who willingly fell into their roles. The audience loved him.

Lautrec's poster presents rather than portrays Bruant. Standing in a doorway, a sinister silhouette lingering behind him, he cuts a grand figure holding broad dominion. Still wearing his gloves and carrying a walking stick, he enters the elite cafés as a ruffian just off the streets. Lautrec's long familiarity with Bruant, his act, his costume, and repertoire resulted in a daringly abstract summation that established the singer's image for the rest of his career.

Ambassadeurs: Aristide Bruant dans son cabaret
1892; Desloge 83; W P4; D 343
Lithograph in five colors. 53 15/16 x 37 3/8 inches.
Printed across two sheets of paper.
Text by the artist; artist's signature, lower left.
Gift of the Baldwin M. Baldwin Foundation, 1987:20