Avec Leur Peze 

This poster, by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, uses stark lines and contrasts to capture a scene of Parisian life. The composition is divided into distinct textual and figural spaces. Above, three characters are sketched with a raw, almost journalistic immediacy. The figure on the left directs the viewer's attention to the text below, which lists the latest songs by Aristide Bruant. The artist uses the figures to frame the text, merging the human element with commercial promotion. This interplay is reminiscent of semiotics where images and text function as signs within a broader cultural discourse. The poster's aesthetic departs from conventional artistic refinement. Instead it embodies a certain rawness, mirroring the gritty urban realities of the time. The sketch-like quality of the artwork emphasizes the role of the artist not as a mere recorder of images but as an interpreter of social contexts. The seemingly simple poster thus functions as both a commercial tool and a cultural artifact, reflecting the spirit of its era.