Forget Me Not (valentine)

Art Historical Context

### Forget Me Not (Valentine) Created around 1850 by British lithographer George Kershaw, *Forget Me Not (Valentine)* is a charming example of Victorian-era romantic ephemera from the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings collection. Measuring just 19.6 × 12.4 cm when folded, this delicate valentine unfolds to reveal intricate designs symbolizing enduring love—the forget-me-not flower, a Victorian emblem of fidelity and remembrance. Kershaw specialized in such sentimental cards, blending artistry with emerging print technologies to make romance accessible to the middle class. The medium showcases innovative techniques: a lithograph base printed on ivory wove paper, enhanced by hand-coloring for vivid hues, and meticulously cut and embossed to mimic delicate lace edges. A blue wove paper insert adds depth, creating a folded, sculptural form that "pops" open like a miniature theater. These paper-engineering feats, popular in the 1840s–50s, elevated mass-produced valentines from simple notes to treasured keepsakes, reflecting lithography's role in democratizing ornamentation. In mid-19th-century Britain and America, valentines like this fueled a booming industry, with millions exchanged annually during courtship season. Kershaw's work captures the era's blend of whimsy and emotion, offering a tangible glimpse into how everyday people expressed affection amid industrialization. A sweet survivor of fleeting romance! (198 words)

About the Artist

George Kershaw

George Kershaw is an artist whose works have been preserved in museum collections in meaningful quantity, pointing to a genuine career and a recognized body of output, even though the biographical details that would identify his nationality, training, and active period have not been established in the sources currently available. The absence of nationality information alongside the absence of date...