John Held Jr. (1889-1958) 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. 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. 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A collection of magazines A magazine is a periodical publication containing a variety of articles on various subjects. ... Sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or primarily in North America as the Roaring Twenties. // Events and trends Technology John T. Thompson invents Thompson submachine gun, also known as Tommy gun John Logie Baird invents the first working television system (1925) Charles Lindbergh becomes the first person to fly... The term flapper, which became common slang in the 1920s, referred to a new breed of young women who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered decent behavior. ... 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to 1939. ... 1952 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...
In addition to his archetypical flapper illustrations, during the same time Held also did cartoons in a 19th centurywoodcut style, in a bit of satiricalnostalgia. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A woodcut is a method of printing in which an image is carved into the surface of a piece of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface while the non-printing parts are removed, typically with chisels. ... Satire is a literary technique of writing or art which exposes the follies of its subject (for example, individuals, organizations, or states) to ridicule, often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change. ... Nostalgia currently describes a longing for the past, often idealized and unrealistic. ...
Held truly was a born artist, drawing animals at age three, selling his first cartoon at age nine, and working as a professional newspaper cartoonist in his mid teens.
Held's career looked likely to be sidetracked by a sojourn in the military; yet his duties for the United States Naval Intelligence agency in Central America were to produce sketches and maps of the coastline and all local military installations.
Held would again refocus his artistic output, this time concentrating on sculpture; he was soon sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation as "artist-in-residence" at both Harvard University and the University of Georgia in 1940.
When he came of age as an artist he took the name of JohnHeldJr., a cartoonist in the 1920's who originated the look of the "flapper girl" and considered as one of America's great illustrators.
For him it was dada and a tribute to the original JohnHeldJr., even though he had passed away and his wife didn't appreciate it.
Plunkett was also directly involved in the early years of Mail-Art as he gave the name 'The New York Correspondance School of Art' in 1962 to the artistic correspondence activities of Johnson.