Mobilized in the declaration of war, Accatino was assigned to an artillery regiment at Manduria, in southern Italy. At the end of the war, graduated from the Rome Fine Arts Academy, he moved to Paris, where he mixed with artists such as Matisse, Severini, Giacometti, and Manessier. He developed a figurative style inspired by social themes, reflecting the influence of his friend Renato Guttuso.