An Artist of Exceptional Ability

The old Christmas card I found at a Southern California estate sale was dated December 25, 1931. The inside sentiment reads:

Christmas wishes here I send you

For a glad and prosperous year

May God's peace and joy attend you

And all those whom you hold dear --

May you hear a happy story

Christmas carols high and low

May they bring you sweet contentment

Around a yule log all aglow.

The image on the card was surprisingly well-executed by the artist.

I peered at the artist's signature: "Wm. Mark Young," it read.

He's well-known enough to have an entry on Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Mark_Young

William Mark Young (1881–1946) was an American painter and commercial artist, known for his murals and book illustrations. He signed his work Wm. Mark Young.

Young was born in Alton, Illinois. He was educated at Upper Alton High School and the Washington University in St. Louis School of Fine Arts (now Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts). He established a commercial arts business in St. Louis, before relocating to Chicago. He also lived for a time in Cleveland, Ohio.

He was well known as a muralist. Among the books he illustrated was a 1939 edition of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. He also produced pictorial maps.

Illustration for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol,
by William Mark Young. (Source: Internet Archive)

He died on January 1, 1946, at Wilmette, Illinois.