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Fernet-Branca, El Rey de los Amargos, Cappiello, 1911

The king of bitters, dressed in his own bottles.

What

A 1911 Cappiello poster for Fernet-Branca, lettered in Spanish as el rey de los amargos, printed by Vercasson in Paris.

Why

An Italian bitter, a Paris printer, and Spanish copy: the poster was made for a market across the sea.

Notice

The crowned figure's skirt is built from rows of tiny bottles, and the sheet is cut in a scalloped frame like a stage curtain.

“The drawing stayed and the words changed for the market.”

Format

The full-resolution, color-managed file — restored honestly, yours to print and keep.

Sized to protect print quality — this scan supports sizes up to 18x24" cleanly.

Size

Personalization (title-swap) is coming to this piece — join the house list to hear first.

$29.00

Provenance

Live mark — art history only

Artist: Leonetto Cappiello
Printer: Vercasson, Paris
Country: France
Format: Poster (affiche)
Piece published: Aperitivo digestivo Fernet-Branca, affiche, 1911
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France (Gallica) · BnF btv1b9015156v

View the public source record ↗

Scan: Bibliothèque nationale de France, Gallica; public domain. Hosted on Wikimedia Commons.

Rights: CLEAR. Public domain — U.S. 95-year rule (piece published 1930 or earlier). Gated by the piece’s own publication year, never a brand’s founding year. Cleared by registry on 2026-11-01. Published 1911, before the 1930 cutoff; maker Leonetto Cappiello; Commons reads Public domain with {{CC-Zero}} {{Cc-zero}} {{Gallica}} {{PD-US}} {{SDC-PD-US}} {{Works of authors who died more than 70 years ago}}. BnF Gallica scan: BnF asks for a licence for commercial reuse of its reproductions; flag for legal sign-off (the house already sells seven Gallica scans). Live mark (Fernet-Branca), flagged in drink.markStatus; nominative title only.

Fernet-Branca is a live mark, still on shelves today. This piece is sold strictly as art history — not as marketing, endorsement, or affiliation.