Chocolat Klaus, 1903 by Cappiello. An Amazon, in a green dress and hat, prances on a red horse. "For the good reputation of the product or object the poster represents, I believe the sudden impression it produces should never be buffoonish, satirical, or humorous, but it can be amusing or witty. I tried to define with a single word the feeling I subjected all my compositions to: I don’t know if it captures it well, but I call it 'mathematical comedy'... The poster for Klaus chocolate—a woman in a long green tunic on a red horse standing out against a black background—was the first of its kind for me. It became an obsession, but I believe it achieved its purpose, since the results obtained by the company were conclusive and many people asked for the 'red horse' chocolate. It also marks the second stage of my evolution. It is thanks to this poster that I was able to get my long-held idea accepted: to design posters based on their true subject. But while merchants or industrialists often shy away from new ideas, they cannot resist financial results. Faced with this blunt fact—success—I was allowed to have my formula adopted, and some of those most resistant at first now even insist on preserving it." Cappiello, 1907, L’Affiche Moderne"I must first tell you that Mr. Cappiello’s opinions completely won me over. He is absolutely right when he says that a poster must be a splash that forcefully grabs the passerby’s attention from afar. Moreover, advertising chocolate with a horse, and especially a red horse, is simply brilliant. However, I would have preferred it to be reserved for Poulain chocolate. As for the green woman on the horse, she is inevitable: the horse is red... with anger; therefore, the woman is green... with fear. It’s as clear as day, and moreover necessary, green being the complementary color of red." La Sorte, May 25, 1907
Chocolat Klaus, 1903 by Cappiello. An Amazon, in a green dress and hat, prances on a red horse. "For the good reputation of the product or object the poster represents, I believe the sudden impression it produces should never be buffoonish, satirical, or humorous, but it can be amusing or witty. I tried to define with a single word the feeling I subjected all my compositions to: I don’t know if it captures it well, but I call it 'mathematical comedy'... The poster for Klaus chocolate—a woman in a long green tunic on a red horse standing out against a black background—was the first of its kind for me. It became an obsession, but I believe it achieved its purpose, since the results obtained by the company were conclusive and many people asked for the 'red horse' chocolate. It also marks the second stage of my evolution. It is thanks to this poster that I was able to get my long-held idea accepted: to design posters based on their true subject. But while merchants or industrialists often shy away from new ideas, they cannot resist financial results. Faced with this blunt fact—success—I was allowed to have my formula adopted, and some of those most resistant at first now even insist on preserving it." Cappiello, 1907, L’Affiche Moderne"I must first tell you that Mr. Cappiello’s opinions completely won me over. He is absolutely right when he says that a poster must be a splash that forcefully grabs the passerby’s attention from afar. Moreover, advertising chocolate with a horse, and especially a red horse, is simply brilliant. However, I would have preferred it to be reserved for Poulain chocolate. As for the green woman on the horse, she is inevitable: the horse is red... with anger; therefore, the woman is green... with fear. It’s as clear as day, and moreover necessary, green being the complementary color of red." La Sorte, May 25, 1907
Chocolat Klaus, 1903 by Cappiello. An Amazon, in a green dress and hat, prances on a red horse. "For the good reputation of the product or object the poster represents, I believe the sudden impression it produces should never be buffoonish, satirical, or humorous, but it can be amusing or witty. I tried to define with a single word the feeling I subjected all my compositions to: I don’t know if it captures it well, but I call it 'mathematical comedy'... The poster for Klaus chocolate—a woman in a long green tunic on a red horse standing out against a black background—was the first of its kind for me. It became an obsession, but I believe it achieved its purpose, since the results obtained by the company were conclusive and many people asked for the 'red horse' chocolate. It also marks the second stage of my evolution. It is thanks to this poster that I was able to get my long-held idea accepted: to design posters based on their true subject. But while merchants or industrialists often shy away from new ideas, they cannot resist financial results. Faced with this blunt fact—success—I was allowed to have my formula adopted, and some of those most resistant at first now even insist on preserving it." Cappiello, 1907, L’Affiche Moderne"I must first tell you that Mr. Cappiello’s opinions completely won me over. He is absolutely right when he says that a poster must be a splash that forcefully grabs the passerby’s attention from afar. Moreover, advertising chocolate with a horse, and especially a red horse, is simply brilliant. However, I would have preferred it to be reserved for Poulain chocolate. As for the green woman on the horse, she is inevitable: the horse is red... with anger; therefore, the woman is green... with fear. It’s as clear as day, and moreover necessary, green being the complementary color of red." La Sorte, May 25, 1907
Chocolat Klaus, 1903 by Cappiello. An Amazon, in a green dress and hat, prances on a red horse. "For the good reputation of the product or object the poster represents, I believe the sudden impression it produces should never be buffoonish, satirical, or humorous, but it can be amusing or witty. I tried to define with a single word the feeling I subjected all my compositions to: I don’t know if it captures it well, but I call it 'mathematical comedy'... The poster for Klaus chocolate—a woman in a long green tunic on a red horse standing out against a black background—was the first of its kind for me. It became an obsession, but I believe it achieved its purpose, since the results obtained by the company were conclusive and many people asked for the 'red horse' chocolate. It also marks the second stage of my evolution. It is thanks to this poster that I was able to get my long-held idea accepted: to design posters based on their true subject. But while merchants or industrialists often shy away from new ideas, they cannot resist financial results. Faced with this blunt fact—success—I was allowed to have my formula adopted, and some of those most resistant at first now even insist on preserving it." Cappiello, 1907, L’Affiche Moderne"I must first tell you that Mr. Cappiello’s opinions completely won me over. He is absolutely right when he says that a poster must be a splash that forcefully grabs the passerby’s attention from afar. Moreover, advertising chocolate with a horse, and especially a red horse, is simply brilliant. However, I would have preferred it to be reserved for Poulain chocolate. As for the green woman on the horse, she is inevitable: the horse is red... with anger; therefore, the woman is green... with fear. It’s as clear as day, and moreover necessary, green being the complementary color of red." La Sorte, May 25, 1907

Chocolat Klaus

ID(s):
1903007Z0, 1903007Z1, 1903007Z2 et 1903007Z3
Subject
Klaus has been a chocolate confectioner since 1856 in Locle, Switzerland. In 1903, he built a second factory in Morteau, France.

The poster by Cappiello adorned the chocolate bars until around the year 2000.


Description:
An amazon, dressed in a green robe and hat, prances on a red horse."For the good reputation of the product or object the poster represents, I believe the immediate impression it makes should never be comical, satirical, or humorous, but it can be amusing or witty. I have tried to define in one word the feeling to which I have subjected all my compositions: I do not know if it captures it well, but I call it 'mathematical comedy'... The Klaus chocolate poster—a woman in a long green tunic on a red horse standing out against a black background—was the first of its kind for me. It became an obsession, but I believe it achieved its purpose, as the results obtained by the company were conclusive and many people asked for the 'red horse' chocolate. It also marks the second stage of my evolution. It is thanks to this poster that I was able to get the idea, which had haunted me for a long time, accepted: to design posters based on their true subject. But while merchants or industrialists often shy away from new ideas, they cannot resist financial results. Faced with this brutal fact—success—I was allowed to have my formula adopted, and some of those most resistant at first now even insist on preserving them." Cappiello, 1907, L’Affiche Moderne"I must first tell you that Mr. Cappiello’s opinions completely won me over. He is absolutely right when he says that a poster must be a bold statement that forcefully grabs the attention of passersby from afar. Moreover, advertising chocolate with a horse, and especially a red horse, is simply brilliant. However, I would have preferred it to be reserved for Poulain chocolate. As for the green woman on the horse, she is inevitable: the horse is red... with anger; therefore, the woman is green... with fear. It is as clear as day and, moreover, obligatory, since green is the complementary color of red." La Sorte, May 25, 1907

Source:
1903007Z0 : Poster Auctions International, Inc.
1903007Z1 : Private collection
1903007Z2 : Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
Department of Advertising and Graphic Design
1903007Z3 : Poster Auctions International, Inc.
Publisher
"Imp. P. VERCASSON & Cie, 43 rue de Lancry PARIS"
Date:
1903007Z0 : 1903
1903007Z1 : 1904
1903007Z2 : 1904
1903007Z3 : 1903
Language: French
Dimensions (cm):
1903007Z0 : 160 x 116
1903007Z1 : 162 x 118
1903007Z2 : 141 x 100
1903007Z3 : 137 x 97
Signature:
1903007Z0, 1903007Z1, 1903007Z3: Top left
1903007Z2: Dated, top left
Remark:
This poster marks a turning point in advertising techniques. It's the first time a horse is boldly depicted in an artificial color, and a product is promoted by associating it with an idea rather than the object itself.
Content type

Period

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Genesis of the poster

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