You Share Thy Joys to Soothe Thy Care (valentine)
c. 1840
Medium
Watercolor with pen and brown ink on embossed ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Folded sheet: 25.4 × 20.5 cm (10 × 8 1/8 in.)
Classification
valentine
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
127505
Art Historical Context
Step into the romantic world of the 1840s with *You Share Thy Joys Soothe Thy Care*, delicate valentine created around 1840 by an unknown. This folded sheet, measuring 10 8 1/8 inches, is crafted in watercolor with pen and brown ink on embossed ivory wove paper—a luxurious medium that gave these sentimental greetings a tactile, three-dimensional elegance. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's and Drawings Department, it exemplifies the handmade valentines popular in the Victorian era, when expressing love through intricate, personal artistry was a cherished custom. During the early 19th ce...
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...