Neat Trick 1946

Edward Runci’s “Neat Trick” is made with oil on canvas, a traditional medium of fine art painting. But look closer, and you’ll see this isn’t a typical academic exercise, it's a pin-up illustration. Runci, along with other artists, found steady work producing images for calendars and magazines, playing a significant role in shaping popular culture. The labor involved is in the artist's hand skills and meticulous techniques to create the illusion of depth and form. The smooth, almost airbrushed finish was a desirable aesthetic in commercial art, achieved through careful blending and layering of paint. The material qualities of oil paint—its viscosity and ability to capture fine details—enabled Runci to create the ideal, attractive woman for mass consumption. In Runci’s artwork, the material, the making, and the cultural context are intertwined. It challenges the perceived hierarchies between fine art and commercial illustration, celebrating the skill and artistry involved in creating images for popular appeal.