Born 1901 in Bari, Italian illustrator Gino Boccasile lost his left eye by having it struck by a splash of quicklime while he was drinking from a fountain early in his youth. Nonetheless, he showed a precocious aptitude for design and completed studies at the fine art school of his home town.
Posters designed by Gino Boccasile in the 1930s and ’40s
Boccasile illustrated for the Italian periodicals “La Donna” (1932), “Dea” and “La Lettura” (1934), “Bertoldo” (1936), “Il Milione” (1938), “L’Illustrazione del Medico” (1939), “Ecco”, “Settebello” and “Il Dramma” (1939) and designed many book covers for publishers Mondadori and Rizzoli.
After the war, Boccasile was imprisoned and tried for collaborating with the fascists. Though acquitted, he remained an outcast. He could not find work for several years, as his notoriety was feared by prospective employers.
Boccasile supported himself briefly by doing pornographic sketches for English and French publishers, and by 1946, after changing his style, he was back at work. He set up his own agency in Milan where he created memorable posters for Paglieri cosmetics, Chlorodont toothpaste, Iperchina liquors and Zenith footwear.
Boccasile died in Milan, from bronchitis and pleurisy, in 1952, aged 50. Here below is a set of amazing posters designed by Gino Boccasile in the 1930s and 1940s.
Achille Banfi Soap, Milano, circa 1930s
Caffeol, Il migliore surrogato del caffè, circa 1930s
Estratto Olandese Marca “Moretto”, Il migliore surrogato del caffè, 1930
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