Valentine
1847–70
Medium
Cameo-embossed, open-work lace paper, chromolithography, colored paper
Dimensions
Width: 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm) Length: 3 11/16 in. (9.3 cm)
Classification
Ephemera|Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Richard Riddell, 1981
Accession Number
1981.1136.629
Art Historical Context
Step into the romantic world of mid-19th-century America *Valentine*, a delicate creation by Esther Howland, called the "Mother of the American Valentine Produced between 1847 and 1870, this petite ephemera—measuring just 2⅞ by 3⅞ inches—was part of Howland's innovative line of mass-produced greeting cards. At a time when Valentine's Day customs were gaining popularity in the U.S., her Worcester, Massachusetts, workshop transformed handmade European imports into affordable, heartfelt tokens of affection for everyday sweethearts. Howland's artistry shines through sophisticated techniques: came...
About the Artist
Esther Howland · 1828–1904
American, Worcester, Massachusetts 1828–1904 Quincy, Massachusetts