Congres Internationale des Etudiants - Cappiello

This original French poster was created by Leonetto Cappiello in 1907 for the festivities surrounding the Congrès International des Étudiants held in Bordeaux in September of that year. Printed in Paris by P. Vercasson & Cie., the poster was commissioned for the International Student Congress, which brought together student associations from a number of countries. The official Cappiello catalogue raisonné notes that these academic gatherings were accompanied by numerous social celebrations, which provided the inspiration for Cappiello’s exuberant design. (Catalogue raisonné de Leonetto Cappiello)Cappiello captures the festive spirit of the occasion with a young woman in a brilliant yellow dress squeezing grapes into a wine glass while her male companion sings and dances beside her. Behind them, a crowd of formally dressed students looks on as bunches of grapes appear to rain down from above. Wine, music and dancing make an appropriate celebration for a congress held in Bordeaux, while the striking yellow, purple, green and black palette gives the poster tremendous visual impact. The poster is an important early example of Cappiello's developing approach to graphic design. Rather than simply announcing the congress, he transformed the event into a memorable image of youthful celebration and joie de vivre. Leonetto Cappiello (1875–1942) was born in Livorno, Italy, and settled in Paris, where he first established himself as a successful caricaturist before turning to poster design. In 1900 he signed his first contract with the printer and publisher P. Vercasson, beginning the period in which he developed the bold visual language that helped transform modern advertising. Cappiello moved away from the detailed, illustrative approach of many earlier poster artists and instead used simplified figures, brilliant colors, strong contrasts and memorable characters to create images that could be recognized immediately from a distance. His innovative approach earned him the reputation as the “father of modern advertising.” He became a French citizen in 1930 and today is recognized as one of the most important poster artists of the twentieth century.To learn more about the artwork of Cappiello, please follow this link: The Ross Art Group – For the Love of CappielloThis is an Original Vintage Poster, it is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed and in excellent condition with professional restoration in the fold lines. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.