J. BONELLI (DATES UNKNOWN) URUGUAY / XIV CAMPEONATO DE FOOTBALL. 1942. 28x20 inches, 71x51 cm. Chinos Colombino. Condition A- / B+: minor repaired tears and restoration in margins; abrasion in image. The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930, and it was commemorated with one of the best Art Deco posters ever designed. Always at the top of the sport, Uruguay won the first World Cup tournament, and again won the competition in 1942. During the Second World War, Uruguay (in those days referred to as "the Switzerland of South America"), enjoyed a booming economy, exporting meat and corn to the fighting nations, which, combined with their geographic distance from the battlefields, enabled them to pursue more pleasant pursuits, like major sporting competitions. This poster for the 1942 South American Football Championship, was designed by Bonelli, who, like Caroselli (see previous lot), was probably of Italian descent. This rare image combines the grid-like structure of the net and the sinewy, fluid, circular form of the goaltender and ball to create a gently stylized sporty vision.
