Leonetto Cappiello Biography

Leonetto Cappiello, Italian (1875 - 1942)

	1875
Birth of Leonetto Cappiello in Livourne. His father is a maritime liquidator.
	1886
First paintings : a man portrait and a woman portrait (unsited). He carries on his schooling in Livorno; his exercise books are full of sketches. He starts copying old prints.
	1892
Without frequenting any fine arts school or any special studio, Cappiello knows most of the painters exercising then in Livorno or in Toscana. He exhibits in Firenze for the first time a large canvas : “Interior scene” (Livorno, Municipal Museum G. Fattori).
	1896
First album of caricatures : Lanterna Magica. Illustrates a Dance card (losted)
	1898
Spring : Cappiello arrives in Paris where he comes to see his brother who works at the Stock Exchange. Brief return to Livorno for his father death. June : back to Paris where he meets Puccini and the actor Novelli. July : publication of his two first caricatures in Le Rire : Puccini and Novelli. Beginning of the serie : Les Contemporaines in Le Rire. Cappiello settles down definitely in Paris. First caricature of Rejane in cover of Le Rire. First caricatures in Le Cri de Paris (Polin, Polaire……)
	1899
First drawings in La Rampe and in Le Sourire. Caricatural statuettes : Yvette Guilbert, Jeanne Granier, Rejane. End of may or beginning of june : Nos Actrices, album of character portraits published by La Revue Blanche. First poster for Le Frou-Frou. He meets Toulouse-Lautrec.
	1900
First drawings in Le Journal (Sarah Bernhardt in « L’Aiglon ») In november he signs his first contract with the printer-publisher P. Vercasson, which marks the beginning of his posterist life. Two posters above all make him known : Le Cachou Lajaunie and Les Amandines de Provence.
	1901
First drawings in Le Figaro. Two caricatures in L’Assiette au Beurre. November : wedding with Suzanne Meyer. Important activity in posters : Corset le Furet, Odette Dulac, La Marquisette….
	1902
Posters : Retour de Rejane in « La Passerelle », Louise Balthy at Folies Bergeres. Birth of a daughter, Françoise. 28th of november : Gens du Monde, special issue in L’Assiette au Beurre.
	1903
April : Le Theatre de Cappiello, special issue of the magazine Le Theatre. He makes the poster for Chocolat Klaus, real revolution in poster art, then Katabexine, Le P’tit Jeune Homme.
	1904
January : Les Contemporains Celebres, first series, Advertising album of the Lefevre-Utile company, illustrated with 18 caricatures of Cappiello. Cappiello gives up caricature almost totally to essentially devote himself to poster. Posters for Le Friquet, Xeres, Pedro Domecq, Nouilles Ferrari.
	1905
70 dessins de Cappiello, collection of press caricatures published earlier, edited by H. Floury. Portraits of Albert Emile Sorel and Mrs Lucien Muhlfield. Posters for the Anis Infernal, Portofino-Kulm, Bijoux Colin, Fleur des Neiges.
	1906
Numerous posters : Menthe-Pastille, Esperantine, Pneu Continental, Torrilhon.
	1907
Decoration of Louis Dreyfus’ villa in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Birth of a son : Jean. Numerous portraits. Important posters : Angelus, Triple Sec Fournier, Maurin-Quina and above all the famous Thermogene. He explains his theory of the poster in Publicite Moderne.
	1908
Exhibits in Salon de la Comédie Humaine the portrait of Paul Adam, his brother in law. Member of the organisation board of the 2nd Salon des Humoristes where he exhibits. Posters for the Source Parot, Xeres Quina Ruiz, Cognac Albert Robin.
	1909
Exhibits at the National Society of Fine Arts the Portrait of his wife and his two children ( Museum of Livorno). Then at the Salon des Humoristes. Posters for Pippermint, Fernet-Branca, numerous posters published by Vercasson in South America.
	1910
Exhibits at the National Society of Fine Arts the portrait of Henri de Regnier (Museum of Orsay). Famous poster for Cinzano.
	1911
New contract with Vercasson. He makes a large number of posters : Vittel Grande Source, Longines, Oxo, Florio and above all the famous Chocolat Poulain.
	1912
Decorates the tea room, the reading room and the smoking room of Galeries Lafayette. Numerous posters : Marie Brizard, Le Nil, Biere du Fort-Carre, Sacha Guitry Jean III.
	1913
Numerous posters : Villiod, Cigarettes Bastos, Lampe Visseaux, Chaussures Unic.
	1914
May : he receives the Legion of Honor. Called back in Italy during the war, he acts as interpreter at the Information Office. Some posters : International Exhibition in Lyon, the Eclair.
	1915
Publishes some etchings about the war and collaborates on La Baionnette, on Rire and on Fontasio.
	1916
Cover of the original edition of the Appollinaire’s Poete Assassine. Some posters : the Trait-d’Union fanco-italien, Thermo-Bloc.
	1919
Beginning of his collaboration with Devambez. Some posters : L' Avenir, Poudre de Luzy..
	1920
Again member of the board of Salon des Humoristes Exhibits in the first Salon de la Publicite and in Beauvais in Salon de l’Affiche. Numerous posters : in particular the Blanchisseries franco-americaines, Mistinguett, Robur, Cachou Lajaunie.
	1921
Decoration of a grocery in Jean Goujon street. Promoted officer of the Legion of Honor. Wins his case against the firm Chocolat Poulain which has reedited partly his poster modifying it. Numerous posters for France and Italy, Bitter Campari, Cafe Martin, Impermeables Pirelli. In november 1921, he signs an exclusive contract with Devambez, single agent of the Nouvelles Affiches Cappiello.
	1922
Exhibits at the Biennial of Venezia and at the French Institute in New-York some models of posters. Very numerous posters in France and in Italy : Exposition coloniale de Marseille, Parapluie Revel, Restaurant Poccardi.
	1923
February-march : special exhibition of his whole work at Devambez. Posters for the opening of Theatre de l’Etoile, Pates Ferrand-Renaud, Royat .
	1924
Posters for France, Italy and Spain ; Ricqles, Cafe con leche Iberia, Bal de la Couture parisienne.
	1925
Posters for Peugeot, Tana, Bisotti Wamar, l’Electrification, Studebaker.
	1926
Posters for cigarettes Louis Doize, l’Eau des Abatilles, La Baule.
	1927
Posters for cigarettes Laurens, Lane Borgesesia. .
	1928
Projects of ballet sceneries and costumes, first for Sacha Guitry, then for Leonide Massine. Autoportrait ordered by the Gallery of Offices in Firenze. Posters for l’Ami du Peuple, Becuwe.
	1929
Important posters, more particularly for Savora.
	1930
Naturalised french. Sketchs for tapestries for the National Manufactory of Beauvais on the parrots subject. Illustrates La Princesse de Babylone of Voltaire Important posters for O Cap, Le Cuir which mark evolution in his poster art.
	1931
Exhibits his Parrots tapestries made by the National Manufactory of Beauvais at the Exposition Coloniale. Very important poster for the Bouillon Kub.
	1932
Exhibits at Salon des Humoristes for which he makes the poster. Posters for Dubonnet, Marianne.
	1933
Posters for the Gautier butter, the France de Bordeaux.
	1934
Important posters for Bailly, l’Oeuvre, Le Lorrain.
	1935
Decoration in fresco of the bar of Dupont Restaurant, Barbes boulevard. Exhibits at Salon des Humoristes, participates at Salon de l’Enseigne.
	1936
Participates at the Triennal of Milano and at the Exhibition of the french Poster in Praha.
	1937
La Force Motrice, scenery of the publicity pavillon at the Exhibition in 1937. There Cappiello is Vice-President of the publicity class. Posters for the Exhibition Paris 1937 and the Accueil de la France.
	1938
Exhibits, at Salon of the National Society of Fine Arts, one large canvas, Les Dormeuses ( Fine Arts Museum in Lyon). Some posters : Mossant, Semaine de l’enfance.
	1939
Participates at the Exhibition of colored Posters from Cheret until today, at the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers.
	1941
Ill, he retires in Grasse, at his sister in law, Mrs Lucien Muhlfield. Illustration series of Rimbaud poems (unpublished)
	1942
2nd of february : Death of Cappiello in Cannes after a diner with his friend Andre Rouveyre.

Artist's Gallery