Valentine

Anonymous

ca. 1880 · Cameo-embossed open-work lace paper, chromolithography · Drawings and Prints

This is a tiny folded, cameo-embossed, open-work lace paper; there is a faint, illegible embossed maker's name on the left edge, recto. The lace pattern has a zig-zag border, a cameo-embossed bow in the lower half, and on the top portion, a circle, bordered with embossed roses. It is on that circle that a chromolithographed die-cut scrap of a bouquet, with the word, "HOPE". has been affixed. Atop the bow is a small scarp of a young girl carrying a pitcher on a tray. Verso, which is plain, is part of the same piece of folded paper. Inside, is inserted a piece of paper, brightly chromolithographed in a colorful gothic pattern of red, yellow, pink, green, and purple. The white center is printed with a romantic verse.

Artist

Anonymous

Date

ca. 1880

Medium

Cameo-embossed open-work lace paper, chromolithography

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Richard Riddell, 1981