Pneumatiques Torrilhon - Cappiello

This electrifying original vintage poster was created in 1906 by Leonetto Cappiello, the visionary Italian-born artist widely considered the father of modern advertising. Commissioned to promote Pneumatiques Torrilhon, a tire manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand, the image captures Cappiello’s revolutionary use of bold graphics, exaggerated characters, and high-contrast compositions to captivate passersby and create instant brand recognition.
The artwork features a fiery red devil—eyes gleaming, mouth grinning—biting down on a gleaming white tire, which encircles his face like a snare. The message is humorous and effective: even the devil himself can’t destroy a Torrilhon tire. Set against a deep black background, the composition is visually arresting, with the devil’s red form and the silver-gray of the tire popping vividly from the darkness.
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 moment’s 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
This is an Original Vintage Poster; it is not a reproduction. It is conservation mounted, linen backed, and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.