Good Housekeeping magazine supplied their readers with two or more short stories in with each mid-century edition. This one from February 1955 titled, “Cats Know Who Hate Them” by Libbie Block featured this striking illustration by Al Parker. We see a pretty blonde women wearing a red shawl and white head band sitting in a room furnished with mid-century modern decor. Magazine illustrators were limited in the number of colors they could use. The lines, shapes and contrasting colors that Parker used in this illustration are pleasing to the eye.
Elaborately dressed and made-up, she waited alone, and in vain.
Imagine a story with a title like this having a happy ending!
Here is another illustration by Al Parker in my collection.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to scan the entire short story. Too bad. It sounds like a fun read. I did, however, include the cover and table of contents to give you a taste of what is in a typical mid-century Good Housekeeping issue.
Mid-Century Page 
0 comments on “1955 – Illustration by Al Parker”