His life
Leonetto Cappiello was born on the 9th of April 1875, in Livorno, Italy. He lived most of his life in France, moving to Paris in June of 1897. Though he didn’t have an official art education, Cappiello started making paintings around the age of 11. In 1896, when he was around 21 years old, he started his career as a caricature artist, making illustrations for multiple French journals. Four years later, in November of 1900, Leonetto Cappiello started his career as an official poster artist, after signing a contract with publisher Pierre Vercasson. For the rest of his life, he continued to make posters for different clients. In his lifetime, he even succeeded his contemporaries Leonetto Cappiello eventually died on the 2nd of February, 1942.
His work
At the time, posters were the primary mediums for advertising. Cappiello’s art style was bold, typically having one striking illustration on a simple, dark background. This style went against the standard at the time, which was the art nouveau style. His striking images snatched the viewers’ attention and created a brand for himself.
Legacy
Today, Leonetto Cappiello is considered by many to have revolutionized poster advertising. He made more than 530 posters in his lifetime. His work has been exhibited in multiple museums, such as the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the Art and History Museum in Geneva, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyon.
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