John Held, Jr.
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John Held Jr. (January 10, 1889-March 2, 1958) was a United States illustrator, one of the most famous magazine illustrators of the 1920s. His cheerful art defined the flapper era so well that many people are familiar with it today.
Held illustrated many covers for Life (magazine) prior to its 1936 purchase by Henry Luce. In addition to his archetypical flapper illustrations, during the same time Held also did cartoons in a 19th century woodcut style, in a bit of satirical nostalgia. His woodcut cartoons and faux maps were frequently in The New Yorker from 1925 to 1932.
His post-1930 works are not as well-known, but he was versatile enough to earn a living through the Great Depression and beyond. By 1952, the nostalgia market was dominated by 1920s designs, and Held's earlier works enjoyed a revival.
