{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{short description|American artist (1923–2015)}} '''Joseph Rudolph Nappi''', working as '''Rudy Nappi''' (February 12, 1923 – March 13, 2015) was an American illustrator. According to the [[National Museum of American Illustration]], Nappi was "a well-known commercial illustrator and widely considered one of the greatest [[Pulp magazine|pulp fiction]] artists of his time."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=sarabliss |title=RUDY NAPPI |url=https://americanillustration.org/project/rudy-nappi/ |access-date=December 19, 2022 |website=National Museum of American Illustration |language=en-US}}</ref> Nappi created the cover art for many mid-20th century [[Nancy Drew Mystery Stories|Nancy Drew]] and [[Hardy Boys book list|Hardy Boys]] series titles.<ref name="Lovisi">{{cite magazine |last1=Lovisi |first1=Gary |date=Fall 2009 |title=Rudy Nappi: Celebrating the Artist & His Work |url=https://content.ebscohost.com/ContentServer.asp?T=P&P=AN&K=505266620&S=R&D=asu&EbscoContent=dGJyMMvl7ESep7c4wtvhOLCmsEqep7ZSr6i4SraWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMOzpsE2xqbNRuePfgeyx43zx |journal=[[Illustration (magazine)|Illustration]] |location=Kirkwood, Missouri |volume=7 |issue=28 |id=15434737 |access-date=December 19, 2022 |via=[[Art & Architecture Source]] on [[Ebscohost]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Nappi's original artwork is "avidly collected."<ref name="Lovisi" />
== Life and work == Nappi was born in [[Orangetown, New York]].<ref>New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; ''New York State Birth Index,'' Ancestry.com. ''New York State, Birth Index, 1881-1942''</ref> After serving in the [[United States Army Air Corps|Army Air Corps]]<ref>National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; ''Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946''; NAID: ''1263923''; Record Group Title: ''Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007''; Record Group: ''64''; Box Number: ''01031''; Reel: ''96.'' Via Ancestry.com</ref> in World War II, Nappi used the benefits of the [[G.I. Bill]] to go to school at the [[Art Students League of New York]], and then showed his portfolio to a pulp fiction publisher who hired him.<ref name="Lovisi" />
He was then contracted to create the cover art for Nancy Drew No. 30, ''[[The Clue of the Velvet Mask]],'' in 1953 for [[Grosset & Dunlap]] and ended up creating cover art for over 150 Grosset & Dunlap titles over three decades, including Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and one [[Bobbsey Twins]].<ref name="Lovisi" /> Nappi created the original covers for Hardy Boys Nos. 32–58,<ref name="Lovisi" /> and 64 Hardy Boys cover artworks in total.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NMAI Press Release 3/1/07 |url=https://www.americanillustration.org/pressRelease/NMAI_Press_3_1_07.html |access-date=December 19, 2022 |website=www.americanillustration.org}}</ref> Similarly, in addition to creating the covers for newly issued Nancy Drew titles, he created updated images for existing titles. His personal favorite was the cover of Number 4, ''[[The Mystery at Lilac Inn]]''.<ref name="Lovisi" /> Nappi did not read the books but his wife Peggy did, and she provided a synopsis from which he created an image.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Eileen |date=December 10, 2019 |title=Top 10 Nancy Drew Book Covers |url=https://bookriot.com/best-nancy-drew-covers/ |access-date=December 19, 2022 |website=BOOK RIOT |language=en-US}}</ref>
Much of his cover artwork was done using [[oil paint]] on board.<ref name="Lovisi" /> Other Nappi clients were Scholastic (including their imprint Little Apple), Harlequin, Mills & Boon, Avon Books, Signet Books, Pocket Books, Pyramid and Belmont.<ref name="Lovisi" /> Magazine work included pictures for ''Two-Fisted Detective Tales'', ''Confessions Illustrated'' and ''Shock Illustrated''.<ref name="Lovisi" /> Nappi also created art for Norcross and Marion Heath greeting cards, and decorations for Keller Charles household goods.<ref name="Lovisi" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.flickr.com/photos/56781833@N06/albums/72157630548822812/ Flickr album: Rudi Nappi covers] {{commons category|Rudy Nappi}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nappi, Joseph Rudolph}}
[[Category:1923 births]] [[Category:2015 deaths]] [[Category:American illustrators]] [[Category:Artists from New York (state)]] [[Category:Art Students League of New York alumni]] [[Category:Military personnel from New York (state)]] [[Category:People from Orangetown, New York]]