This colourful advertising poster promotes Campari, the famous Italian bitter aperitif created in Milan in the 19th century by Gaspare Campari. The design dates from the 1950s-1960s, a period when Campari commissioned many vibrant posters to promote the ritual of the Italian aperitivo.

The composition centres on a bottle of Campari emerging from a tree branch, while the foliage above forms a stylised outdoor café scene – table, chairs and drinks – suggesting the relaxed social atmosphere associated with aperitif culture. The bright yellow background, bold typography and simplified graphic shapes reflect the lively mid-century style typical of Italian commercial posters of the era. Posters like this were produced as lithographic advertisements and displayed in cafés, bars and shop windows to reinforce Campari’s identity as a fashionable pre-dinner drink enjoyed in convivial settings.

Year: 1950s

Dimensions: 130cm x 90cm 

Materials/Media: Original lithograph, linen backing in progress