Gran Velada de Boxeo, 1941 – Original Hand-Painted Gouache

This hand-painted poster, made for a boxing gala in San Fernando on the 30th of May, 1941, is part of the Darwin archive because it distills the visual vernacular of popular sport and public spectacle in post-Civil War Spain. Organised by the engineering forces of the local plaza in honour of their patron saint, the event brings together six bouts across weight classes—from peso gallo to ligero—each pairing billed with theatrical flair.

The poster’s hand-rendered lettering, radiant palette, and anatomically stylised boxer reflect both the artisanal charm of local signage and the heroic idealisation of the working-class athlete. Names like Toni Luis, Guasch, and Herrerita (hailed here as a “destacada figura local”) are celebrated with the same graphic urgency as saints or generals—framed by red verticals reading GRANDES COMBATES, flanking the central fighter in stance. At 45 × 35 cm, with signs of wear and surface damage, the piece carries both archival and atmospheric weight: a relic of a regionalised, ephemeral print culture before offset standardisation. It is not just a record of a night of sport, but a charged fragment of civic identity and hand-painted resistance.

Title
GRANDES COMBATES

Artist / Author
Unknown

Date
1941

Technique / Printing Method
Hand-painted poster

Medium / Materials
Paint on paper

Edition
Unique

Signed
No

Dimensions (cm)
45 × 35 cm

Language (books)
Spanish (text)

Condition
Visible wear and surface distress; stable