John Rutherford Boyd (1882-1951), was born in Philadelphia and would go on to graduate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. At the academy, he studied under Thomas Anshutz. Boyd became the art director for Ladies’ Home Journal for six years, ending in 1915. He was a commercial illustrator in Philadelphia before he moved to New York City to be the art director at Everybody’s Magazine. He was later the art director at Squibb & Company, and took night classes at the Art Students League of New York.

Boyd continued his magazine work, but also began to create pieces for exhibitions at the Chicago Art Institute and began winning prizes for his work in the 1930s and 40s. In 1949 there was an article in LIFE called “Speaking of Pictures,” in which Boyd received national recognition.

Boyd created five covers for The Saturday Evening Post.