John Held, Jr.

John Held, Jr., 1889 - 1958. 'Boy in Hammock Asleep with Fallen Book,' 17.1 × 15.7 cm, HBLL Special Collections.

Among the Jazz age's most iconic artists was cartoonist and illustrator John Held, Jr. As his work graced the covers of magazines like Vanity Fair, Life, Cosmopolitan, and The New Yorker and as his designs found their way into newspapers, advertisements, and books across the country, Held became known for his colorful drawings of flappers, his humorous illustrations of college life, and his sharp, witty social commentary on American culture in the 1920s and 30s.

In this exhibition, you'll find yourself delighted by the artist's ingenious depictions of the era, found in magazines, newspapers, books, drawings, watercolors, linocuts, movie posters, and even games. Though a century has passed since these artworks' publication, their relevance, candor, and whimsicality has not yet faded.

John Held, Jr. is organized by Glen Nelson with the assistance of John Murphy. It is made possible by donors to the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts.