Aristide Bruant – born Louis Armand Aristide Bruand in Courtenay, Loiret, France on May 6, 1951 – was a cabaret singer and comedian who is best known as the man in the black cape and red scarf featured on posters by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. He is now acknowledged as the creator of Chanson réaliste genre. He grew up in Paris and attended high school but left early to work small jobs and help his family, who were constantly moving to avoid creditors. He became interested in music and began writing and singing, performing at many small gatherings. His songs – sometimes socially conscious and sometimes humorous - were filled with colorful language that depicted the lives of the poor and downtrodden. Encouraged by another singer, he began performing in clubs and eventually staged a successful café-concert at the Concert des Amandiers in 1873. The success of that show led to performances at other venues including the Darelli in Nogent-sur-Marne and the Concert de l'Époque, La Scala, and The Clock in Paris. and the Clock. In 1881, he was hired to perform at the La Chat Noir cabaret in Montmartre, where he adapted a new image which featured the velvet suit, black cape, red scarf, and wide-brimmed hat, which was then depicted in the paintings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and used for posters. Aristide Bruant’s popularity grew as he attracted larger crowds to see him perform at other cabarets including his own club, Le Mirliton. In 1889, he published Dans la rue, a collection of his songs illustrated by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, which was a critical success. Successful enough to purchase a castle right before touring France and other countries. In 1894, he briefly contemplated a political career. The following year, he sold Le Mirilton and finally entered politics in 1898 by entering into a legislative election, which proved to be unsuccessful. In the early days of the 20th century, he abandoned the stage an became an author, publishing several novels, three theatrical plays, and a slang dictionary. After many years away, he made a triumphant return to the stage in 1924. Aristide Bruant died on February 11, 1925, at the age of 73. His songs have become a part of France’s musical legacy and have been collected on several compilations including À Montmerte (1994), L'indispensable 1905 – 1914 (1994), À la Bastille (2010), and Grandes Chansons (2012).
