Fall Football Fever, Nesbitt’s calendar ad 1956

Edward Runci made this calendar ad for Nesbitt’s, probably sometime in the middle of the 20th century, and it’s a masterclass in smooth, seductive illustration. It’s all about curves and a limited colour range, mainly oranges and blues. Looking at the woman’s face, her bright red lips and rosy cheeks, there’s not a single visible brushstroke! How did he do that? It’s so different from my own slapdash technique. The way Runci’s controlled blending creates a near-photorealistic effect makes me think of the way Gerhard Richter makes his abstract paintings. But what really gets me is the flag in the background – its simple blue shape mirrors the bottle in the woman’s hand. Does it represent a sports team, or something else? Is it a reference to something else entirely? That ambiguity is what keeps me coming back.