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About
Gino Boccasile was born the son of a perfumer on July 14, 1901 in Bari, Italy. Boccasile lost his left eye at an early age, when, while drinking from a fountain, a drop of quicklime fell into it. This handicap never seemed to diminish his artistic and design capacities and he completed his studies at the Bari fine art school. Following his father’s death in 1925, Boccasile moved to Milan to minimize any burden on his family. Although opportunities were scarce in Italy at the time, the aspiring illustrator found a job at the Mauzan-Morzenti Agency. Here, he produced posters and illustrations for fashion magazines, where he became known for his provocative depictions of women. Boccasile moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina to accompany fellow poster artist Achille Mauzan. Here, Boccasile met his future spouse Alma Corsi. Boccasile then headed for Paris, where he participated in the 1932 Salon des Independants and was reviewed favorably in an issue of the “Paris Tabou.” Upon his return to Milan, he started the publicity agency “ACTA,” in Galleria del Corso, Italy, with his close friend Franco Aloi. Through ACTA, Boccasile illustrated for the Italian periodicals such as: "La Donna" (1932), "Dea" and "La Lettura" (1934), "Bertoldo" (1936), "Il Milione" (1938), "L'Illustrazione del Medico" (1939), "Ecco", "Settebello" and "Il Dramma" (1939) as well as designing several book covers for the Italian publishing houses Mondadori and Rizzoli. An avid supporter of Benito Mussolini’s regime, Boccasile was called upon to produce propaganda material for the Italian government in the lead up to and during the Second World War. Much of this material included racist and anti-Semitic posters. Following the surrender of the fascist government, Boccasile was detained and tried for his collaborations with the Fascists. Although he would be acquitted, Boccasile remained largely an outcast. He was unable find work in the months immediately following the war as his very signature was feared by any prospective employers. English and French publishers commissioned him to produce erotic sketches, which allowed Boccasile to support himself. In 1946, after some slight modifications of his style, Boccasile set up his own agency in Milan where he designed posters and advertising materials for Paglieri cosmetics, Chlorodont toothpaste, and Zenith footwear, which all bear his signature. Boccasile died in Milan, Italy, on May 10, 1952, from bronchitis and complications of pneumonia. Contact
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