Love Me or I Die (Valentine) c. 1840

"Love Me or I Die (Valentine)" is a hand-painted valentine card, created by Joseph Addenbrooke around 1840. Featuring a delicate pink rose with green foliage, the artwork is framed by a lace border. The inscription, "Love Me or I Die," is a typical romantic gesture in the Victorian era, highlighting the emotional intensity of love in that period. This small but sentimental piece is a unique example of the tradition of exchanging Valentine's Day cards in the 19th century, and it is currently housed at the Art Institute of Chicago.