Greeting Card 1810

Curator: This elegant watercolor and print drawing goes by the name "Greeting Card," and was crafted around 1810 by Johannes Endletzberger. It resides here at the Metropolitan Museum. Editor: My first impression is "charmingly old-fashioned"—there’s such a delicate precision here, the intertwined florals, crossed torches. It feels like a secret language of symbols. Curator: The decorative arts are full of such language! Here, Endletzberger uses these emblems—torches of enlightenment crossed with flowers signifying friendship and happiness—to send a heartfelt message. What kind of message do you think this was, specifically? Editor: Knowing it’s from the Romantic period, it leans towards a bittersweet sentiment, doesn't it? The transient beauty of the flowers, the fleeting nature of candlelight... were such "Greeting Cards" for every day use or only specific events? Curator: It's more occasional, a thoughtful offering on birthdays or anniversaries. But note that the paper ribbon, that banner of friendship and Glückes Fülle thronen—what reads as "Good fortune crowns thee."--that these things weren’t churned out by machine, but were individually made using delicate carving tools. Editor: That's fascinating! Considering the time and craft, this little card embodies so much. Was Endletzberger's a unique studio doing these, or was this practice much more widespread in Vienna? Curator: Such items were frequently a product of cottage industries. He created images that speak of tenderness and careful labor—not mass produced. He was trying to get something special and beautiful for someone he cared for. And for those fortunate enough to have something this finely detailed to work with, such care would have made them that much more popular with their desired recipient, whether for business or courting reasons. Editor: I feel this underscores a critical divergence. Modern digital communication offers immediacy and widespread broadcasting. Objects like this remind us of a tangible presence and commitment. This material speaks of intentionality, unlike my throwaway texts, but with much the same intended end result. Curator: Yes! These tokens carry layers of significance—the gift itself, the work put into it, the social meanings around love and well-being, so beautifully rendered with the artistic ability of Herr Endletzberger! What else could one need? Editor: It reminds us about the lasting power and poignancy that are infused in something that has material and weight. Curator: It's so, so much better. So, the next time I try sending flowers, send an artisan instead? Editor: Now you're talking, that or another Romantic-era Greeting Card... I feel an awakening and renewed sense of value in that bygone style!