Campari - Two Clowns Bifronte

Talk about effective advertising! Campari used to be produced in two formats - the 'bitter' red color that we are used to today, to be had as an aperitif and a light colored version that was sweet and meant as a digestif, dessert-style drink. This clever poster displays both versions in the form of dueling clowns, a common motif used by the brand in its advertising campaigns. This is a rare poster by Cappiello, in an impressive scale.

Leonetto Cappiello (1875-1942) was an Italian poster artist who worked in Paris. He is known for modernizing advertising design for the 20th Century. His compositions are uncomplicated and often feature a graceful figure with an oversized rendition of the product against a simple color background. The typography is often minimized to be as direct and short as possible. This innovation allowed for the advertising to be eye-catching and understood at a moments’ glance. It was ideal for the fast paced travel and attention of busy city life.

To learn more about the artwork of Cappiello, please follow this link: https://postergroup.com/blogs/the-ross-art-group-blog/for-the-love-of-cappiello

Gaspar Campari first produced Bitter Campari in 1860 in Novara, Italy. The liquor falls under the category of "Bitters," which is traditionally prepared as a mixture of water, alcohol, and botanical extracts, in this case, an orange peel. Bitters were originally developed as patent medicines, but are now used as cocktails. The drink is colored with carmine dye that gives the drink its unique red coloring.

In 1904, Campari began to produce its liquor for overseas export. Advertising campaigns were developed to promote the brand.

This is an Original Vintage Poster; it is not a reproduction. This poster is linen backed, and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.