Marie Brizard & Roger 1912

This is Leonetto Cappiello's advertisement poster for Marie Brizard & Roger. The way the paint is applied is so interesting. It’s not quite flat, but not quite textured either. It's like Cappiello wanted to make the image feel immediate and accessible. Look at how the main figure is holding two bottles of Anisette, arms outstretched. It’s as if she's in the process of offering you a gift. The gesture is theatrical, as if inviting the viewer to enter into a shared space of festivity and enjoyment. The deep burgundy tones at the base of the poster help ground the lightness of the scene and the figures. You almost can't tell what kind of brushes he might have used; the process feels somewhat concealed, but that's part of its charm. It reminds me a little of Toulouse-Lautrec's graphic style, but with a little more whimsy. Ultimately, this piece is about celebrating the ambiguity of pleasure, captured in a moment of pure, unadulterated joy.