Untitled Valentine (Boy and Girl with Basket)
1850/59
Medium
Collaged elements on cut and embossed (designed) ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Folded sheet: 8.5 × 12.3 cm (3 3/8 × 4 7/8 in.)
Classification
collage
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
128984
Art Historical Context
In the mid-19th century, valentines like *Untitled Valentine (Boy and with Basket)* by Thomas Wood captured the era's romantic spirit. Created between 1850 and 1859, this delicate folded sheet measures just 8.5 × 12.3 cm, perfect for tucking into a pocket or envelope as a token of affection. Wood, likely an amateur craftsman from the American folk tradition, depicts a sweet scene of a boy and girl with a basket, evoking innocence and courtship amid the Victorian fascination with love and domesticity. What sets this piece apart is its innovative medium: collaged elements on cut and embossed iv...