Queen of Clubs, from a Set of Piquet Cards 1770 - 1826

This playing card, "Queen of Clubs," was likely made by Claude Fayolle in France, sometime around the late 18th century. It's made with humble materials: paper, ink, and pigment. Printed and then hand-colored, this card reflects a transitional moment in production. The printing process allowed for a degree of standardization and efficiency, while the hand-coloring, crude as it is, speaks to an older artisanal tradition. Look closely, and you can see the rather slapdash application of the colors, the slightly misregistered printing. Yet, these imperfections give the card a unique character, a trace of the human hand. These playing cards were a popular commodity, enjoyed across social classes. The division of labor involved – from papermakers to printers to colorists – reflects the increasingly complex economic landscape of the time. By looking closely, we can move beyond the image, and get a feel for the social world in which it was made.