BIOGRAPHY

THE MAN

		Cappiello in his studio, 194 Bd Malesherbes in Paris (1902)
1875	Birth of Cappiello in Livorno (Italy). His father is maritime liquidator.
1886 to 1892	First paintings.
1898	Spring: Cappiello arrives at Paris where he comes to see his brother who works on the Stock Exchange. Short return to Livorno for the death of his father. In June: return to Paris where he settles down.
1896 to 1905	Period of caricatures.
1900	In November he signs his first contract with printer P. Vercasson, who marks the beginning of his career of poster artist.
1901	Marriage with Suzanne Meyer, sister in law of Lucien Mühlfeld (literary criticism) and of Paul Adam (writer). He will have two children.
1899 to 1942	Period of posters.
1902 to 1913	He works for theprinter Vercasson.
1914	He receives the Legion of Honour.
1914 to 1918	Recalled by Italy during the war as interpreter in the Information Service. His short time remaining, he participates in charitable days in favour of the war wounded persons, publishes satirical caricatures against the German and draws some posters.
1919	After the armistice of 1918 he joins the printer Devambez with whom he will work until 1936.
1921	He is promoted to officer of the Legion of Honour.
1928	He is promoted to commander of the Legion of Honour.
1930	He takes French nationality.
1941	Sick, he retires in Grasse, at his sister-in-law, Mrs Lucien Mühlfeld.
1942	Death of Cappiello in Cannes after a dinner together with his friend André Rouveyre. He leaves in minds a forgiving man, very nice, who represented Italian seduction, with some reserve which gave him an obvious nobility.

THE IMMIGRANT

It isn’t really a chance if Cappiello came to live in France. It is enough to remember that, at that time, Paris was the world capital of Arts. Sooner or later he has to live there for a while. Here is his testimony published in October, 1932 in the newspaper “Bravo”.

“Paris, the city where they think the most, where they work the most….

It was, I think in April or May¸ 1897, that I arrived in Paris the day the fire of the Bazaar of Charity plunged the whole city into dismay. In the streets, faces were scared with inquiring look, and it formed a striking contrast to splendor of this radiant spring day.

I had come to spend a month as a tourist, as an amateur, I stayed there thirty-five years. It seems to me that it would be enough to tell the influence that Paris had over me. Although they feel some modesty to express deep and intimate feelings, I confess, as you want it, that I love France as a lover loves his beloved. I love it for its beauty, for its mind, for its harmony and its generosity. I love it for its best love of Art. I don’t think that there is a country in the world where an artist is welcomed, appreciated, encouraged as in France - and by writing these few lines, I evocate one of the softest, the most touching memories of my life: loving welcome that I received from all friends who were the most famous artists of this age and the friendship which linked us since.

I was 21 years old and I was mad about all beauties which I discovered. Paris gave too much subjects to the tourist I was, so that the artist employs it and uses it. Enticed by the indefinable and witty charm of the Parisians, I become madly enthusiastic in writing it in synthetic drawings. I showed them to friends who recommended me to publish them. I carried them to the “Rire” which publishes them immediately. The “Revue Blanche” asked me then for an album on the actresses. Marcel Prévost wrote the preface. You imagine my joy ! Critics and chroniclers made it welcomed unforgettably. Henry Letellier, then manager

of "Le Journal" asked me a regular collaboration every Sunday, and on this subjec I remembt er a delightful lunch at “Larue”, where the great Caran d’Ache, with his usual kindness, wanted to persuade the junior designer that I was to accept this collaboration, what by bashfulness, I didn’t dare.

It took place in 99. After Le Journal, Le Figaro, posters, etc. etc. and everywhere the same cordiality, the same simplicity.

The slightest talents, whatever branch of human activity it is, are, in France , developed, multiplied. Because of the love and taste it has of this constant creation of thought, a brain never stays without evolving, without growing.

The whole world suffers its luminous radiance and its influence to such a point that every demonstration of human genius comes to search in it a spiritual sanction.

It lights, it knows how never dazzling.

If I am asked what is the part of Paris in the impression that I had on France, I will answer: Paris immediately seemed to me as the place where elites meet and where there exchanges give its deep and exceptional mind. Frame the most proportional, the most sumptuous, and at the same time the most intimate, It is the city where they think the most and where they work the most.

Could we not to be moved by beauty every time that from the Bastille to the Etoile we followed this triumphal walk ?”

THE WORK

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)
Cappiello by himself circa 1902		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 Réjane 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, Réjane. 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 ») 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. Important activity in posters: Corset le Furet, Odette Dulac, La Marquisette…. .
		1902	Posters : Retour de Réjane in « La Passerelle », Louise Balthy at Folies Bergères. 28^th of november: Gens du Monde, special issue in L’Assiette au Beurre.
		1903	April: Le Théâtre de Cappiello, special issue of the magazine Le Théâtre. He makes the poster for Chocolat Klaus, real revolution in poster art, then Katabexine, Le P’tit Jeune Homme.
		1904	January: Les Contemporains Célèbres, 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, Xéres, 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 Mühlfeld. 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. Numerous portraits. Important posters: Angélus, Triple Sec Fournier, Maurin-Quina and above all the famous Thermogène. He explains his theory of the poster in Publicité 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, Xéres 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, Bière du Fort-Carré, Sacha Guitry Jean III.		Cappiello around 39
1913	Numerous posters: Villiod, Cigarettes Bastos, Lampe Visseaux, Chaussures Unic.
1914	Some posters: Exposition Internationale de Lyon, l'Eclair.
1915	Publishes some etchings about the war and collaborates on La Baïonnette, on Rire and on Fontasio.
1916	Cover of the original edition of the Appollinaire’s Poète Assassiné. Some posters: Le Trait-d’Union Franco-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 Publicité and in Beauvais in Salon de l’Affiche. Numerous posters: in particular the Blanchisseries Franco-Américaines, Mistinguett, Robur, Cachou Lajaunie.
1921	Decoration of a grocery in Jean Goujon street. Wins his case against the firm Chocolat Poulain which has reedited partly his poster modifying it. Numerous posters for France and Italy: Bitter Campari, Café Martin, Imperméables Pirelli. In november 1921, he signs an exclusive contract with Devambez, single agent of the Nouvelles Affiches Cappiello.
Cappiello around 47		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 Théâtre de l’Etoile, Pâtes Ferrand-Renaud, Royat.
		1924	Posters for France, Italy and Spain: Ricqlès, Cafe con Leche Iberia, Bal de la Couture Parisienne.
		1925	Posters for Peugeot, Tana, Biscotti Wamar, L’Electrification, Studebaker.
		1926	Posters for cigarettes Louis Doize, l’Eau des Abatilles, La Baule.
		1927	Posters for cigarettes Laurens, Lane Borgosesia.
		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	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. Poster for Dubonnet.
1933	Posters for the Gautier butter, La France de Bordeaux et du Sud-Ouest.
1934	Important posters for Bailly, l’Oeuvre, Le Lorrain.
1935	Decoration in fresco of the bar of Dupont Restaurant, Barbès 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 in Paris.	Cappiello's signature in 1922
1941	Illustration series of Rimbaud poems (unpublished).
1942	On his death, Cappiello leaves us a considerable work which will be the subject of many exhibitions and retrospectives.
1947	Retrospective in the “ Musée des Arts Décoratifs" in Paris.
1960	Retrospective in « La Casa della Cultura » in Livorno.
1961	Exhibition in the « Palais Saint Pierre » in Lyon.
1962	Exhibition in the « Musée d’Art et d’Histoire » in Geneva.
1981	Retrospective in the « Grand Palais » in Paris.
1993	Exhibition in the « Fondation Mona Bismarck » in Paris.
1994	Exhibition in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (France).
2003	Exhibition in “Musée des Beaux Arts” in Lyon.

Biography drawn out and completed from: "Les Dossiers d'Orsay - Cappiello 1875 - 1942", p 186 and 187 © Réunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris 1981, "Dossiers d'Orsay"

Bibliography

Except for the catalogues of exhibitions, the main books on Cappiello are the following:

1946	Jacques Viénot: "L. Cappiello sa vie et son oeuvre" ( Preface of Jean Cocteau) - Editions de Clermont.
1978	"Cappiello et la Belle Epoque" (Preface of Jacques de Lacretelle) - Editions Sciaky.
2004	Jack Rennert: "Cappiello - The posters of Leonetto Cappiello" - The Poster Art Library.
2011	Marie-Laure Soulié-Cappiello: "Cappiello - Catalogue raisonné des caricatures" - Editions Sillages.

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