1921 Bitter Campari

Bitter Campari. 1921.
“As we have seen, Cappiello, steeped in theatrical tradition from his years as a stage caricaturist, often chose pierrots, harlequins, or clowns to represent various products. Here, in one of his most inspired designs, the clown embodies the spirit of the orange peal, a zesty ingredient in the Bitter Campari. This image has become one of the classics of poster design, effortlessly combining the element of surprise with the essence of the product. The story of this world-famous brand name started in 1860 in the little Italian town of Novara, where Gaspar Campari opened his small wine shop. Within two years, he earned enough to open a cafe on a busy street corner in Milan. Annoyed that his competitors were able to sell everything that he did, he determined to produce his own distinctive liqueur in order to serve something unique; to this end, he developed a recipe for a type of bitters and made a sample batch. His timing was impeccable: bitters... were just coming into vogue at the time, and the Campari bitter was an instant success. The enterprise grew, and by the time of Gaspar’s death in 1882, the product was selling throughout the world. His son, Davide (1887-1936), expanded the family business even more, and in 1892, added a second successful beverage, Cordial Campari” This is the largest two-sheet format and the rarest of all the Bitter Campari images.
76”x107”
linen Backed