Gino Boccasile
Encyclopedia
Gino Boccasile was an Italian
illustrator.
Born in Bari
, Boccasile was the son of a perfumer
. Early in his youth he lost his left eye, when a drop of quicklime
fell into it while he drank from a fountain. Nonetheless, he showed a precocious aptitude for design and completed studies at the fine art school of his home town.
After the death of his father in 1925, he moved to Milan
. Despite some initial difficulties, he eventually gained a post at the Mauzan-Morzenti Agency. Over the next few years he produced posters
, illustrated fashion magazines and gained fame for his sensuous renderings of the female form.
Following the lead of fellow poster artist Achille Mauzan
, Boccasile went to Buenos Aires
, where he met his future spouse Alma Corsi. In 1932 he moved to Paris
, where an issue of “Paris Tabou” was dedicated to his work. He also participated in the Salon des Independants, that same year. Shortly after returning to Milan, he opened a publicity agency called ACTA, in Galleria del Corso, with his friend Franco Aloi. He 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
'.
A supporter of Benito Mussolini
, Boccasile produced propaganda material for his government, including several racist and anti-semitic posters.
As the tide of war turned against Fascism he became more involved in it, becoming a supporter of the German puppet state, RSI
, established by Mussolini in Northern and Central Italy after his liberation from the Gran Sasso
exile. Boccasile enlisted in the Italian SS Division
, drawing their recruitment posters and illustrating propaganda material.
After the war he 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.
He supported himself briefly by doing pornographic sketches for English and French publishers, and by 1946, after changing his style, Boccasile 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.
He died in Milan, from bronchitis and pleurisy, in 1952.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
illustrator.
Born in Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Boccasile was the son of a perfumer
Perfumer
A perfumer is a term used for an expert on creating perfume compositions, sometimes referred to affectionately as a Nose due to their fine sense of smell and skill in producing olfactory compositions...
. Early in his youth he lost his left eye, when a drop of quicklime
Calcium oxide
Calcium oxide , commonly known as quicklime or burnt lime, is a widely used chemical compound. It is a white, caustic, alkaline crystalline solid at room temperature....
fell into it while he drank from a fountain. Nonetheless, he showed a precocious aptitude for design and completed studies at the fine art school of his home town.
After the death of his father in 1925, he moved to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. Despite some initial difficulties, he eventually gained a post at the Mauzan-Morzenti Agency. Over the next few years he produced posters
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
, illustrated fashion magazines and gained fame for his sensuous renderings of the female form.
Following the lead of fellow poster artist Achille Mauzan
Achille Mauzan
Achille Lucien Mauzan was born on the French Riviera, but moved to Italy in 1905, known as a decorative illustrator designing during the Art Deco movement, though he also painted and sculpted....
, Boccasile went to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, where he met his future spouse Alma Corsi. In 1932 he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where an issue of “Paris Tabou” was dedicated to his work. He also participated in the Salon des Independants, that same year. Shortly after returning to Milan, he opened a publicity agency called ACTA, in Galleria del Corso, with his friend Franco Aloi. He 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
RCS MediaGroup
RCS MediaGroup S.p.A. , based in Milan and listed on the Italian Stock Exchange, is an international multimedia publishing group that operates in daily newspapers, magazines and books, radio broadcasting, new media and digital and satellite TV...
'.
A supporter of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, Boccasile produced propaganda material for his government, including several racist and anti-semitic posters.
As the tide of war turned against Fascism he became more involved in it, becoming a supporter of the German puppet state, RSI
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
, established by Mussolini in Northern and Central Italy after his liberation from the Gran Sasso
Gran Sasso
Gran Sasso d'Italia is a mountain located in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The Gran Sasso forms the centerpiece of the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park which was established in 1993 and holds the highest mountains in continental Italy south of the Alps and is part of the...
exile. Boccasile enlisted in the Italian SS Division
29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian)
The 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS or Legione SS Italiana was created on 10 February 1945 as the second SS-Division numbered 29. The first on the 29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS , was disbanded. The new unit created in November 1943, was based on the Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade...
, drawing their recruitment posters and illustrating propaganda material.
After the war he 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.
He supported himself briefly by doing pornographic sketches for English and French publishers, and by 1946, after changing his style, Boccasile 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.
He died in Milan, from bronchitis and pleurisy, in 1952.