Dearest, My Every Dream of Bliss (valentine)
c. 1840
Medium
Collaged elements on cut and embossed ivory wove paper (lace)
Dimensions
Folded sheet: 13.9 × 9.4 cm (5 1/2 × 3 3/4 in.)
Classification
valentine
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
75787
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the romantic world of 19th-century courtship with *Dearest, My Every of Bliss*, a delicateentine from around 1840. Created by an unknown artist, this folded sheet measures just 13.9 × 9.4 cm, small enough to slip into a pocket or envelope, yet bursting with heartfelt sentiment. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's and Drawings Department, it exemplifies the era's handmade tokens of affection exchanged on Valentine's Day. The artwork showcases exquisite paper engineering: collaged elements adorn cut and embossed ivory wove paper crafted to mimic fine lace. This labor-intensive technique, popular in Victorian America and Britain, involved precise scissors work and embossing to create intricate, lacy borders and motifs—symbols of fragility and devotion. Such valentines were often anonymous gifts, blending poetry, flowers, and hearts to convey unspoken love during a time of formal social norms. Culturally, these artifacts highlight the rise of mass sentimentality in the 1840s, as Valentine's Day evolved from a folk tradition into a commercial celebration. This piece invites us to cherish the handmade charm of pre-industrial romance, a whisper of bliss preserved in paper.
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...