L’Oie d’Or 

Leonetto Cappiello created this advertising poster for L’Oie d’Or foie gras sometime in the early twentieth century. It reflects a moment when the graphic poster was becoming a sophisticated art form, deeply embedded in the culture of consumerism. Cappiello here relies on an economy of bold forms and colors. The poster invites us to contemplate the cultural politics of luxury food, where the goose is crowned as ‘queen’ of the delicacy, yet is ultimately reduced to a consumable product. Note how the shadow of the goose evokes something sinister, gesturing towards the exploitation inherent in the foie gras industry, even as the poster presents it as a desirable commodity. Cappiello’s poster also participates in a tradition of commercial art that seeks to elevate everyday objects to the realm of high art. Historical research into French advertising and culinary history can reveal more about the cultural meanings embedded in this image. Art like this reflects both the tastes and the moral tensions of its time.