John Held Jr. (January 10, 1889 – March 2, 1958) was an American cartoonist and illustrator. One of the best known magazine illustrators of the 1920s, Held created cheerful art showing his characters dancing, motoring and engaging in fun-filled activities. The drawings defined the flapper era so well that many people are familiar with Held's work today.
Born in Salt Lake City, he was a son of Annie (Evans) and John Held. His father was born in Geneva, Switzerland and was adopted by Mormon educator John R. Park, who brought him to Salt Lake City. His maternal grandfather, James Evans, was an English convert to Mormonism. He always claimed that his only art training came from his father and from sculptor Mahonri M. Young, a grandson of Brigham Young.
Held illustrated many covers for Life prior to its 1936 purchase by Henry Luce. In addition to his archetypical flapper illustrations, Held also drew cartoons in a 19th-century woodcut style. From 1925 to 1932, his woodcut cartoons and faux maps were published frequently in The New Yorker, founded by his high school classmate Harold Ross. Held created the iconic "Wise Men Fish Here" sign which hung above the door of the Gotham Book Mart for the life of the store.
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 featured 1920s designs, and Held's earlier works enjoyed a revival.
Held died in 1958 at age 69 of throat cancer.