Vermuth Carpano Poster Unico De Torino – Vintage Alcohol Poster – Mauzan 1927
If you enjoy a good vermouth, then you need to raise a glass to the man behind Carpano Vermuth. Without the foresight and inventiveness of Antonio Beneditto Carpano, the Italian distiller who is famous for inventing vermouth, the drink probably wouldn’t exist. The company’s willingness in the early days to embrace the humble poster as part of its marketing strategy no doubt helped raise awareness of the popular Vermouth brand. Over the years the company has produced many posters created by artists such as Armando Testa, Marcello Dudovich, Vsevolod Petrovic Nikulin and the artist behind this Vermuth Carpano Poster by Achille Lucien Mauzan.
Mauzan’s poster offers us an image of an aristocratic member of high society who holds the bottle a little bit too close to his face, affectionately hugging the Carpano. The dapper looking gentlemen is suited and booted in top hat and tails, white wing-collared shirt and red bow tie.Perhaps he is meant to represent a politician, diplomat or other member of high society. With his three chins and wide gaping mouth Mauzan’s comedic character isn’t the most handsome man in the room. The gentleman’s cluminess has almost made his top hat take a tumble. As delightful as the character is Mauzan’s toff doesn’t appear to be the target audience for the famous Vermouth drink. In fact, the artist’s image seems to be mocking the bottle-hugging, high flying, ocean crossing, champagne quoffing, high lifer who seems to have found a new friend in Carpano. Maybe a subliminal way of getting across that Carpano, unlike Champagne, is a wine that the public can afford to drink. Whilst at the same time showing that the upper classes that can afford bubbly, would probably prefer Carpano.
The background is split into thirds, with the right half being a strong orange colour to reflect one of the alcoholic beverages most prominent flavours. The bottom quarter of the panel gives way to the only text on the poster which reads Vermuth Carpano. Unico de Torino in a mix of red, orange and green lettering.
Carpano Vermouth
The history of the Carpano company starts in Turin in the 18th century, when Carpano developed the idea of adding a mixture of over 30 herbs and spices to white wine to create the new drink. Carpano added a sweet spirit to the drink believing it would make the vermuth more appealing to ladies than Turino’s red wines. Initially created as a medicinal drink to aid digestion, Carpano started to offer it for sale at his small wine and liquor Bottega in Torino. Vermouth proved so popular that soon his shop was open 24 hours a day.
As with many distilleries, wineries, breweries and champagne houses, the exact ingredients, recipe and production process remains a company secret, that only three people are trusted to know. HOwever, the company claim that not only is the recipe the same as the 1786 original, but also the methods of distillation that have been passed down throughout the centuries are still followed.
According to the Carpano website their Antica Formula stands out from all the other vermouths because of the drink’s unique bouquet and its unmistakable vanilla notes. In an online article on the BBC Good Food website writer Brendan Hodriendescribes the drink further explaining “The finished product has aromas of vanilla, cherries and dark chocolate atop charred orange peel and cloves. A first sip floods your mouth with deep chocolate and orange flavours punctuated with a peppering of sweet and punchy spices, finishing with spice and citrus”.
Achillle Mauzan the artist behind the Carpano Vermouth poster
Born on the French Riviera, Mauzan moved to Italy at the age of 22. He became known as a decorative illustrator during the Art Deco movement before moving onto creating artwork for advertising posters. His output was prolific. He is known to have producing illustrations for over 2000 posters and 1000 postcards. Between 1909 and 1913, he produced about 1500 film posters for the Italian film industry. He worked at the famous Ricordi music publishing house and later at the Magical Press.
In 1924, together with fellow artist Angelo Morzenti he set up his own advertising agency in Milan. Just two years later he travelled to Argentina and set up the “Affiches Mauzan” (Mauzan Posters) publishing house where he worked until 1932. Many of his greatest works were created. His poster designs were often brightly coloured and injected with an element of humour. Whatever the thought process behind the image the Vermouth Carpano Poster is one of the most instantly recognised and widely known of all Mauzan’s poster designs.
If you’re a fan of Vermouth you owe it to yourself and Antonio Carpano to have a copy of this poster on your wall. You just know it’ll look stunning in your kitchen, snug or home bar! Order yours today. The poster that is, not the drink!
Other Achillle Mauzan posters
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