Maiden Fair of High Degree (valentine) 1845 - 1850

Curator: This delicately rendered work is titled "Maiden Fair of High Degree," a valentine made sometime between 1845 and 1850, currently held here at the Art Institute of Chicago. It employs a mix of print and drawing on paper to create an ornate effect. Editor: It's overwhelmingly… fragile. Not just physically, but also emotionally. The lace-like patterns surrounding the central floral arrangement feel so intensely precious and speak to a yearning for sentimental connection that feels particularly acute in our modern context. Curator: The choice of pansies is deliberate, they've long symbolized remembrance and thoughtfulness. Even the tiny wreath at the top evokes victory or accomplishment, but in a subtly romantic way. The handwritten inscription, "Maiden fair of high degree, Wilt thou search this book and see, What it approves for thee and me?" invites a reciprocal consideration, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. The hierarchical language "high degree" feels antiquated, but also points to the restrictions placed on women regarding courtship at the time. Was the book mentioned some accepted conduct? And in this sense, what does this object really express? An authentic, passionate declaration, or adherence to normative scripts? The tight frame constricting that bouquet might suggest more of the latter than the former. Curator: Or, could the tight frame be read as protective? Valentines themselves emerged from customs linking pagan fertility rites to St. Valentine, becoming heavily commercialized. Despite this mass production, such hand-decorated versions sought unique connection with a symbolic language, in flowers, color. Red might signify a deeper passionate love and loyalty... it goes well beyond normative scripts for many people. Editor: I’ll agree with a personal layer beyond "just" normativity. The question might not be to counter-argue its mass production, but to actually find a new discourse on popular culture that acknowledges the complexities of the commercial culture of romance. By reframing our reading, we acknowledge the layers that form its sentimentality. It seems to make valentines so relevant in any era. Curator: I see that now. It highlights how our deeply ingrained rituals of affection both conform and defy cultural expectation. Editor: Indeed. A fascinating relic revealing tensions we still grapple with.