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A watercolor of a couple kissing in the snow
John Held, Jr. (1889 – 1958), 'Merry Christmas (Couple Kissing as the Snow Falls),' watercolor, 9 3/8 x 8 3/16 inches. L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.

John Held, Jr.

December 6, 2024 - April 26, 2025

Among the Jazz age's most iconic artists was cartoonist and illustrator John Held, Jr. As his work graced the covers and pages 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.

The Center for Latter-day Saint Arts Logo

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.

Current Exhibitions

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Of Souls and Sacraments

Symbol and Context in Christian Art
Open through March 1, 2025
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Crossing the Divide

American Art from the Permanent Collection
Open through 2029
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The Difficult Part

Brian Kershisnik: A Mid-Career Retrospective
Open through May 3, 2025
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Joshua Meyer: Eight Approaches

Open through January 18, 2025
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Plexus No. 29

Ongoing
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