Plinio Codognato, born 13 April 1878, was an Italian illustrator and graphic artist who specialised in advertising.
Plinio Codognato was born in Verona Italy. Codognato studied art under teacher and director of the Accademia Cignaroli in Verona, Mosè Bianchi. In 1907 Codognato was commissioned to illustrate 29 plates for the novel L'aquila dell'Indostan (The Eagle of Indostan) by Luigi Motta.
In 1913 he was commissioned for what would become his most famous illustration, a billboard for the first performance of Verdi's Aida at the Arena di Verona. Towards the end of the First World War he moved to Milan.
For about twenty years he was the official advertiser of FIAT, creating billboards and illustrations for the Fiat Magazine.
He received a stream of commissions from Pirelli, Atala, OM, Circuito di Cremona, Cinzano, Campari, Marsala Florio, Liebig and Grafofoni Columbia. He designed around 150 posters for commercial products, theatre and sporting events.
Of the approximately 1000 posters made by Codognato during his lifetime, some are part of the Salce Collection and are kept at the Civic Museums of Treviso. Plinio Codognato is considered one of the best Italian Graphic artists of the 20th Century. Codognato made his mark with many spectacular automobile designs and is best remembered for his works for Fiat, Ansaldo, Pirelli, Cinzano and Campari as well as his auto racing posters.
