Bellhop with Hyacinths

Joseph Christian Leyendecker

Here is an all-time favorite: the quintessential Saturday Evening Post cover in 1914 entitled, “Bellhop with Hyacinths” by none other than Joseph Christian Leyendecker. The colors are outstanding, even after 100+ years.

This was the first Mother’s Day magazine cover created for the Post. The story told is that this particular magazine cover single-handedly birthed the flower delivery industry and the practice of giving flowers on Mother’s Day.. fostering an American tradition.

Joseph Christian Leyendecker (1874 – 1951) was one of the pre-eminent American illustrators of the early 20th century. He is best known for his poster, book and advertising illustrations, and his numerous covers for The Saturday Evening Post. During the Golden Age of American Illustration, for The Saturday Evening Post alone, J. C. Leyendecker produced 322 covers, as well as many advertisement illustrations for its interior pages. No other artist, until the arrival of Norman Rockwell two decades later, was so solidly identified with one publication.

I especially enjoy this artist’s uncompromising attention to detail, right down to his stylish signature.

And here’s the money shot, the before and after. The tricky part is to restore and subtly enhance without overstepping. You’d hate to have the “after” look like a colorized movie.