Dearest I Love Thee (valentine)
1840/50
Medium
Collaged elements and watercolor, with pen and brown ink on cut and embossed ivory wove paper (lace)
Dimensions
Folded sheet: 25.1 × 20 cm (9 15/16 × 7 7/8 in.)
Classification
valentine
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
75500
Art Historical Context
**Dearest I Love Theevalentine)**, created around 1840–1850, invites us into the heartfelt world of mid-19th-century romance. This delicate folded sheet, measuring 25.1 × 20 cm, hails from the Art Institute of Chicago's and Drawings department. As a classified valentine by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the era's tradition of handmade tokens of affection, exchanged on February 14 to express love and sentimentality before mass-produced cards became common. Crafted with collaged elements, watercolor, and pen and brown ink on cut and embossed ivory wove paper—mimicking fine lace—the artwork s...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...