On this day, March 23, 1874, illustrator Joseph Christian Leyendecker was born in Montabaur, Germany. After studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and in Paris at the Académie Julian, J. C. returned to work in Chicago and then in New York. He quickly became one of the pre-eminent illustrators of the early 20^th century. Between 1896 and 1950, J. C. Leyendecker painted more than 400 magazine covers and numerous advertising illustrations.