ART & ARTISTS: Italian Posters

Friday 6 October 2023

Italian Posters - part 6

A comprehensive look at Italian poster design, from vintage to modern posters (1895 - 1971) designed by numerous designers and artists. I have included individual biographies of the artists, where found.

This is part 6 of an 11 part series on Italian Poster Design:

Francesco Nonni (1885-1975) studied at the school of Arts and Crafts in Faenza. In 1906 he began to devote himself to illustration. After serving in WWI he began to work in ceramics in the Art Deco style, the medium he is now best known for.

c1910 Fonte Meo Acqua Minerale Naturale
by Francesco Nonni

Ceramic figurine
by Francesco Nonni

Ferruccio Scandellari (1882-1937) No biographical information found.

1914 Accumulatori Tudor
by Ferruccio Scandellari

n.d. II Fiera Internazionale di Campioni, Padova 1-15 Giuno
by Ferruccio Scandellari

n.d. Ovos
by Ferruccio Scandellari

n.d. Sinigaglia
by Ferruccio Scandellari

Renzo Bassis (1903-1978) Principally a painter, Renzo Bassi worked for a number of major automotive and oil companies, including Breda, Fiat, Pirelli, Shell, and Esso, as well as for liqueur brand Bisleri. His most famous sketches and posters date back to the years when Tazio Nuvolari roared on motorbikes and cars all over Europe.

1920s-30s Pirelli Superflex -Stella Bianca
by Renzo Bassis

1932 Ferro-China Bisleri
by Renzo Bassis

1933 Pirelli Pnematic
by Renzo Bassis

1934 Pirelli Stella Bianca
by Renzo Bassis

1954 Fiat 1400A
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Pirelli Superflex Stella Bianca
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Pirelli
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Esso
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Standard
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Shell - Prodotti Ben Proporzionati
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Shell - Benzina, Motor Oils
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Shell - Benzina e Motor Oils
by Renzo Bassis

n.d. Shell - Benzina & Motor Oils
by Renzo Bassis

Federico Seneca (1891- 1976) was born in Fano, he studied drawing at the Regio Istituto di Belle Arti of Urbino until 1911. During the First World War he was enlisted into the Italian Alpine troops and afterwards became a pilot, also flying on seaplanes. At the beginning of the 1920s, Seneca started his great, profitable and long-lasting collaboration with the company Perugina, where he became the supervisor of the advertising office for twelve years, even when it merges with Buitoni in 1925. In 1929 he was awarded the Federico Seneca of the first prize of the International Exhibition of Posters in Munich. The relationship of the graphic designer with Perugina stopped in 1933 and marked his transfer from Perugia to Milan where he opened his own advertising studio. He moved to Casnate con Bernate with his family in 1969, in the province of Como, where he died in 1976.