Ambassadeurs: Aristide Bruant
The singer Bruant in black hat and red scarf – a poster that is almost pure silhouette.
Bruant insisted the poster be put up when the café owner hesitated at the bold image. It became one of the most imitated examples of how little a poster needs. Copies are in the Metropolitan Museum and MoMA.
Materials: Colour lithograph on paper
Manufacture: Printed in five colours; large areas left completely flat.
The red scarf against the black cape – two colour fields make the whole figure.
Bruant’s profile, mirrored in another version of the poster.