Lugano - Southern Switzerland
About the poster
Reprint of a lithographic masterpiece by Gino Boccasile (1901–1951) from 1939. Originally created as an advertisement for Lugano in southern Switzerland, the poster is an iconic example of the elegant and optimistic tourist poster art that characterized Europe in the interwar period. The motif shows a smiling young woman in a pink, sleeveless summer dress and a light straw hat, resting against a cherry tree in full bloom. In front of her, the view opens up to Lugano – the atmospheric city on the shores of Lake Lugano in the Italian-speaking region of Ticino, surrounded by soft mountain silhouettes and a Mediterranean-inspired atmosphere.
Gino Boccasile , one of Italy's most prominent illustrative voices of the 20th century, was known for his ability to create warm, dreamy scenes with strong graphic appeal. His compositions combined elegant figures, idealized landscapes and refined use of color – all with a joie de vivre characteristic of the period. Boccasile worked on commercial campaigns, fashion illustrations and travel posters, and his works are now sought-after collectors' items, not least because of their iconic Art Deco inspiration and strong period color.
In the 1930s, Switzerland experienced a flourishing poster art scene, with tourist offices, railway companies and spa towns commissioning brightly coloured lithographs to attract travellers. The country's dramatic scenery, pristine lakes and elegant cities were staged with an almost cinematic tone – often focusing on the joy of life, health, sunshine and modernity. Boccasile contributed to this tradition with works that combined Swiss rural idyll with his characteristic Italian warmth, giving the subjects a special cultural duality: Swiss precision and Italian lightness at the same time.
The original for this poster has been meticulously photographed, color-optimized, and printed to the highest professional standards, so the reprint is as close to the historic lithograph as possible – both in tone, contrast, and texture.
Our PlakatKunst Collection represents the absolute top quality in reprinting vintage posters. This is due to both the original copies we work from and the unique restoration methods that are not found anywhere else. All posters are printed with 12 colors on matte 240 g premium paper, which provides a deep and natural color reproduction, silky smooth surface and a visual authenticity that is not achieved with standard printing.
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Reprints of rare lithographs
The discovery
As a dealer of original vintage posters, we have history in our hands every day. We work with authentic works that have survived decades – often printed in limited editions and created for a completely different time and context.
Occasionally we are lucky enough to find particularly remarkable masterpieces – posters where the artistic expression, historical significance and original quality make them worth preserving and passing on. When this happens, we carefully select the works that can and should be reprinted.
The pursuit of the best quality
Digitalization
It is crucial for us to digitize the lithographic works in the highest possible quality. That is why we collaborate with Narayana Press, a renowned graphic printing house and photo workshop south of Aarhus, where work is carried out with great respect for craftsmanship and immersion.
All works are photographed with a professional RED camera, known for its extremely high resolution and precise color reproduction, ensuring a digital base material of absolute top class and a print that is as close to the original as possible.
12 colors on matte premium paper
Print on demand
All our posters are printed to order once the order is placed. This gives us full control over the quality and ensures that each print is fresh, precise and without waste. We work exclusively with professional 12-color printing , which provides a significantly larger color space than traditional 4- or 8-color printing. The result is more nuanced transitions, deeper shadows, softer highlights and a much more accurate reproduction of both colors and fine details.
The posters are printed on 240 gram matte premium paper , carefully selected for its balance between weight, structure and color reproduction. The matte surface reduces glare and gives a calm, exclusive expression, where the motif stands out clearly without disturbing reflections. The paper has a light, natural texture, reminiscent of classic art and lithography papers and supports the experience of authenticity - especially when reproducing older works and historical posters.
Create your own work
Framing
You can easily have your poster framed and delivered as a finished work - ready to hang.
Choose from 40 carefully selected frame profiles and see the poster visualized with both frame and optional passepartout. You can choose from 11 different passepartouts, which give the motif air and depth and create an elegant distance between the poster and frame. By combining frame and passepartout, you can put together a personal expression that fits both the motif and your home exactly.