Edward Runci – Pinup Artist

Edward Runci was an Italian-American illustrator best known for his glamorous and painterly pin-up art during the mid-20th century.

Born on July 4, 1921, in Genoa, Italy, Runci and his family immigrated to the United States in 1930, where he eventually built a career as a commercial artist.

Runci’s career took off after World War II.

He was well known for his paintings of pin-up girls, as well as, his advertisements for companies such as Coca-Cola.

His style is often compared to contemporaries like Gil Elvgren and Haddon Sundblom — strong, radiant women, playful or slightly risqué situations, bright colours, smooth brushwork.

These are some of the companies and clients Runci produced work for;

Advertising / Commercial Products: Some of Runci’s clients were Nesbitt’s (orange soda) for example. As well as, Coca‑Cola who is repeatedly cited among Edward Runci’s commercial clients.

Magazines / Pin‑up / Pulp Publications: Runci produced art in the golden age of illustration. So he often worked for publishing companies to produce calendars and magazines which used pin‑ups such as Shaw‑Barton.

Portrait commissions: He painted portraits for private individuals, including people in Hollywood.

Although most known for his paintings of women, Runci also painted clowns, landscapes and was a portraitist for the Hollywood elite.

His work stood out for its rich colors, realistic style, and depictions of playful, idealized women. They embodied postwar American optimism.

Runci rose to prominence in the 1940s and 1950s. Particularly through his calendar art for Brown & Bigelow, a major publisher of promotional materials.

In addition to his pin-up work, he was a skilled portrait artist. Runci often painting Hollywood celebrities and private commissions.

His contributions helped shape the golden era of American pin-up alongside contemporaries like Gil Elvgren.

Runci spent his last decades in Big Bear Lake, CA where he had a studio and art school.