Fête de la Tour Eiffel — History & Facts
A rush of red sweeps behind two monumental figures, their arms raised in a gesture that is both greeting and proclamation. One wears the stars and stripes, the other a simple classical gown, but both stride forward united, their gazes steady and direct. The banner they hold unfurls like a stage curtain, inviting the viewer into the celebration: the Fête de la Tour Eiffel, a Franco-American festival in July.
The artist, Leonetto Cappiello, uses the boldness of his line and the clarity of his palette to make an event poster feel like a civic ritual. The red backdrop is not mere decoration—it surges like a shared heartbeat, binding the two allegories together. This poster was created in 1924, a time when public festivals and charitable causes often found their voice through the language of the illustrated affiche. Here, the image does more than announce dates; it stages a vision of solidarity between France and the United States, under the patronage of both nations' presidents.
Such posters were more than advertisements—they were public art, meant to be seen in the streets, to stir pride and participation, and to raise funds for causes like the sanatoriums and social aid listed in the swirling ribbon. History has kept few traces of the individual events these posters promoted, but their visual rhetoric—heroic, optimistic, and communal—remains, inviting us to imagine the city alive with celebration.
More Artworks by Leonetto Cappiello

Portrait de Madame Lucien Muhlfeld
Leonetto Cappiello

Séverin
Leonetto Cappiello

Better to wash your clothes at home!
Leonetto Cappiello

Huile Lesieur
Leonetto Cappiello

Théâtre Daunou – Jane Renouardt
Leonetto Cappiello

Bougies à Pied Cannelé
Leonetto Cappiello

Tog Quinquina
Leonetto Cappiello

Poudre de Luzy
Leonetto Cappiello

Pur Champagne Damery-Épernay
Leonetto Cappiello

Je ne Fume que Le Nil
Leonetto Cappiello






