Bouillon Kub 1911

Leonetto Cappiello designed this advertisement poster for bouillon cubes using vibrant lithographic techniques. Immediately striking is the stark contrast between the dark background and the vivid yellow and red lettering, which creates an almost theatrical stage-like space. The figure of the chef seems to interact with oversized letters and floating cubes. He introduces us to the spectacle of product display. Semiotically, the chef acts as both a signifier of culinary expertise and a structural element that bridges the textual and the spatial. This interplay challenges traditional notions of depth and perspective. The cubes, scattered seemingly at random, destabilize any fixed point of focus. Consider how the formal arrangement—the interplay of typography and figuration— functions as a deliberate strategy to capture the viewer's attention, reflecting broader shifts towards modernist abstraction. It also invites ongoing interpretations about consumer culture and visual communication.