Ricqles peppermint liqueur vintage advertising print by Leonetto Cappiello.

Ricqlès, a silk merchant from Lyon, is credited with creating alcool de menthe in 1838, promoting it with the same universal healing claims common to stomach bitters of the time. What set him apart, however, was his assertion that divine inspiration guided the invention.

Leonetto Cappiello, the Italian-born master of poster art, transformed early 20th-century advertising with his bold use of color, simplified forms, and humorous exaggeration. Working in Paris, he became the era’s most influential commercial artist, creating unforgettable imagery for wines, spirits, perfumes, and luxury goods. Unlike the flowing elegance of Art Nouveau, Cappiello’s designs aimed to capture immediate attention, distilling a brand’s identity into a single striking figure or motif.

His Ricqlès Peppermint Liqueur poster is a brilliant example of this approach. Designed to promote the French peppermint spirit known for its refreshing and medicinal qualities, the image bursts with energy and clarity, making the product unforgettable. Often featuring playful or fantastical characters, Cappiello’s design associated Ricqlès with vitality, coolness, and charm.