Vodka Relskys, 1° Kumel (1911)

Leonetto Cappiello prints bring the bold poster art of early twentieth-century Paris into your home. Cappiello was born in Italy and made his name in France, and he is often called the father of modern advertising. His bright figures still jump off the wall. Our collection gathers more than 180 of his designs, from aperitif and chocolate posters to the drawings of his 1905 album, 70 Dessins de Cappiello.

About Leonetto Cappiello

Leonetto Cappiello was born on 9 April 1875 in Livorno, Italy. He never had formal art training. He taught himself, showed his first paintings in Florence in the early 1890s, and in 1896 published Lanterna Magica, an album of caricatures.

In 1898 he went to Paris, where he settled for good. He drew caricatures for satirical and fashion magazines such as Le Rire, Le Cri de Paris, L'Assiette au Beurre and Femina. In 1899 the magazine Le Frou-Frou commissioned his first poster.

In 1900 he signed an exclusive contract with the Paris printer Pierre Vercasson, and he produced hundreds of posters for him before the First World War. In 1921 he signed a long contract with the Paris publisher Devambez, which lasted until 1936. The Uffizi in Florence commissioned his self-portrait in 1928, and he became a French citizen in 1930.

Cappiello died in Cannes on 2 February 1942. He designed more than 530 commercial and theatre posters, and his approach shaped Art Deco poster design in the 1920s and 1930s.

Style and Subjects

Earlier poster stars such as Jules Chéret and Alphonse Mucha filled their sheets with detailed, painterly scenes. Cappiello cleared all of that away. He set a single brightly coloured figure, often a strange or playful one, against a flat dark background. You remember the image before you read the brand: a green devil, a woman on a red horse, a fire-eater.

His years as a caricaturist show in the quick, simplified shapes and the sense of movement. His subjects are the products of everyday Paris: aperitifs, cognac and champagne, chocolate and pasta, cigarettes, umbrellas, remedies, cars, theatres and music halls. His work is linked to the Liberty style (the Italian name for Art Nouveau) and to Art Deco.

Famous Works

• Le Frou Frou (1899), Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona. His very first poster, made for a humour magazine, which started his career in advertising.
• Chocolat Klaus (1903), Poster House, New York. A woman in a green dress rides a rearing red horse above bold yellow lettering.
• Maurin Quina (1906), Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. A green devil slyly pulls the cork from a bottle of this absinthe-based aperitif.
• Thermogène (1909), Wellcome Collection, London. A fire-eater breathes out the flame of a warming remedy.
• Bitter Campari (1921). A lively red figure, known in Italian as "lo Spiritello", advertises the Milan aperitif.
• Pâtes Baroni (1921). A pasta poster from the year he began his long run with Devambez.
• Parapluie Revel (1922). An umbrella advertisement from his Art Deco years.

Decorating with Cappiello Prints

Cappiello's drinks posters were made to catch the eye in cafés, and they suit the same mood at home. Hang Maurin Quina, Cordial Campari or one of his Cinzano and cognac designs above a bar cart, in a dining room, or in a kitchen with open shelving. The food posters, such as Chocolat Klaus, Pâtes Baroni and Le Cacao Poulain, bring a cheerful touch to a kitchen or breakfast nook.

Because most of his posters put a single bright figure on a dark ground, one print makes a strong statement on a pale wall, in a hallway or at the end of a corridor. For a gallery wall, mix a few colour posters with plates from 70 Dessins de Cappiello, which show his caricaturist side. Car posters such as Peugeot and Automobiles Charron fit a study or a home office.

FAQ

What art movement was Leonetto Cappiello part of?

Cappiello worked in the Paris poster world of the Belle Époque and the 1920s and 1930s. His work is linked to the Liberty style (Art Nouveau) and to Art Deco, and his bold designs shaped later Art Deco posters.

What is Leonetto Cappiello's most famous poster?

Among his best known are Maurin Quina (1906), with its green devil uncorking a bottle, Chocolat Klaus (1903), with a woman on a red horse, and the red "Spiritello" poster for Bitter Campari (1921).

Where can I see original Cappiello posters?

Original prints of his posters are held by the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Others are at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona, Poster House in New York, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Wellcome Collection in London.

How can I recognize a Cappiello poster?

Look for one bright, often whimsical figure set against a flat dark background, with the brand name in strong lettering.

Why is Cappiello called the father of modern advertising?

He replaced the busy, detailed scenes of earlier posters with one striking image that sticks in the memory and becomes tied to the product. That idea laid the groundwork for modern commercial marketing.

Related Artists

• Jules Chéret: the earlier master of the Paris poster whose detailed style Cappiello moved away from.
• Alphonse Mucha: Art Nouveau poster designer and one of the predecessors Cappiello broke from.
• Jean d'Ylen: took over Cappiello's place as poster designer at the Vercasson printing house.
• Alfredo Müller: Livorno-born painter whose sister married Cappiello's brother Oreste.