As I’ve done every New Year’s Eve since 2006, I’ll wish Lines and Colors readers a Happy New Year with one of American illustrator J. C. Leyendecker’s wonderful New Year’s covers for the Saturday Evening Post, in this case from 1922.
Leyendecker was the first to represent the new year as a baby (originally — and occasionally afterward — a cherub) in his illustration for the SEP New Year’s cover in 1906. Over the following three plus decades, his New Year’s covers made the idea into one of our cultural icons.
His New Year’s babies were often involved in some way in the events of the year. In this case, our 1922 baby is marking the recent signing of the U.S.-German Peace Treaty after the end of WWI by salting the tail of the Dove of Peace. Salting a bird’s tail was thought to render the bird incapable of flying away.
The image at top is a digitally restored version of the image from the cover that is being offered as a print by FineArtAmerica. Below it is the cover reproduction from the Saturday Evening Post site.
Whatever else happens this year, may you find joy and inspiration in the great art of the past and present, and in the creation of art yet to be seen!










New Year's Babies on Saturday Evening Post
J.C. Leyendecker on Cover Browser
My previous Leyendecker Baby New Year posts:
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2021!
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2020!
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2019!
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2018!
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2017
Happy Leyendecker baby New Year 2016
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2015
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2014
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2013
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2012
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2011
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2010
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2009
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2008
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year 2007
Happy Leyendecker Baby New Year (2006)
My other previous J.C. Leyendecker posts:
Beleaguered Leyendecker Santa
Eye Candy for Today: Leyendecker turkey SEP cover
Eye Candy for Today: J.C. Leyendecker Pilgrim and Football Player illustration
Another wonderful Leyendecker Santa Claus
Eye Candy: JC Leyendecker illustration for Arrow Shirt advertisement
Leyendecker's Santas
More J.C. Leyendecker from Leif Peng and Roger Reed
Even more Leyendecker wonderfulness, in high resolution no less
J.C. Leyendecker on Illustration Art
The Haggin Museum Leyendecker Collection
J.C. Leyendecker; America's "Other" Illustrator
More Leyendecker and other great stuff
A little Bit of Leyendecker Greatness
Illustrators' Visions of Santa Claus
Thanks
J.C. Leyendecker