Exposition De Monaco 1920

Leonetto Cappiello made this poster for the Exposition de Monaco sometime around 1920, and you can see how the bright colors just pop. It's a pretty standard palette: red, white, yellow, blue, but it's how Cappiello applies the colors that makes it feel like something special. I love how the whole thing feels like one big gesture, almost like a watercolour or big drawing. The way the red and white merge behind the woman feels so smooth, almost like velvet. The brushstrokes are thick, giving the image a kind of tactile quality. Look at her dress, and how the yellow is layered to create depth and movement. It's like the paint itself is dancing. And the little red flowers scattered around the scene? They’re not just decoration; they're like little explosions of joy! It reminds me a bit of Matisse, that same playful use of color and form. It's like they're both saying, "Hey, let's not take ourselves too seriously. Let's just have fun with this whole art thing."