An exceptionally rare and striking piece of advertising history: the Martini Vermouth enamel sign created from a 1913 design by Leonetto Cappiello, one of the greatest masters of early modern poster art. Originally conceived as a poster, this composition was later produced as an enamel sign by Emaillerie Belge, Brussels, in 1928.
The design features a young, slightly androgynous male athlete, half-nude and energetically stepping forward, holding a bottle of vermouth in each hand. Behind him, a radiant sun bursts outward with brilliant rays of light—an eye-catching symbol suggesting that through Martini Vermouth one becomes revitalized, youthful, and strong.
A fascinating detail of its history is that the original gouache drawing was not made for Martini at all, but for BOB Vermouth, representing the third design variant created for that product (see black-and-white photograph). In the end the Martini & Rossi Company bought the design, giving it a second life as one of the brand’s most memorable images.
This piece also forms part of an exceptional duo with the Rossi Apéritif enamel sign: same year, same dimensions, same provenance. The artistic competition of the era is clearly reflected in this pair—Cappiello created designs for both Martini and Rossi, while Jean Droit, the artist behind the Rossi design, also worked for Martini. Together they represent a remarkable moment in early 20th-century commercial art.