Valentine 1850 - 1860

This ornate Valentine card, created sometime between 1850 and 1860, depicts a family scene with a mother and two children in a verdant landscape. The card features a central oval-shaped vignette framed by intricate gold and white lacework, with floral accents. The intricately cut and layered design and the gold detailing are characteristic of mid-19th century decorative arts. The card's delicate craftsmanship and sentimental subject matter reflect the popularity of sentimental love imagery in Victorian culture. This card is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.