Pneu Baudou "la Sirène" 1910

Leonetto Cappiello made this poster, La Sirène Baudou, for a tire company, and the colours are bold, blocky, confident. I love how it dives right in – a red sky, a blue sea, no messing around with subtle blends. It’s art as pure graphic communication. The materiality here isn’t about texture or brushstrokes, it’s about flat planes of color. The mermaid’s hair is loose and free, a wild orange against the industrial backdrop, while the tire she’s holding is rendered with a glossy gleam. Is it rubber or is it light? Does it float like she does? The mermaid’s green tail dissolves into the water, her body almost secondary to the product. It reminds me of some of those early 20th-century posters, like Cassandre’s, where form serves function, yet still manages to conjure a dream. It’s a reminder that art, even in its most commercial form, can still whisper a bit of magic.