Valentine 1842 - 1875

Editor: This is an interesting piece! It's called "Valentine," and it's from sometime between 1842 and 1875. It looks like it’s made with a combination of print, drawing and mixed media on paper. It really does remind me of a tribute. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Well, at first glance, what stands out is the incredible labor involved. Notice the intricate paper cutting, the layered textures, and the added embellishments. Consider the hands that produced this. It transcends mere craft, doesn’t it? Editor: Definitely! The sheer amount of detail is incredible. So, does that challenge the boundary between decorative art and something considered "fine art" at the time? Curator: Precisely! We need to examine this piece through its production: What does it mean for something mass-produced, yet carefully decorated to be regarded as a personalized object of affection? What about the conditions of laborers, predominantly women and children, tasked with this type of tedious and repetitive labor? And finally, this object as a means of expressing—and perhaps mediating—intimacy in a rapidly industrializing world. The "Valentine" asks us to consider these important aspects of 19th-century life and the role material objects played within that life. Editor: I never would have thought of those socio-economic layers. Now I understand it has very complex materiality with an emphasis on labor, production and value of something like that. Curator: Exactly! Looking at the work from that perspective shifts the way we understand its historical and cultural context. We move away from just seeing a decorative object towards understanding its material history. Editor: This has really opened my eyes. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Keep digging beneath the surface and asking questions about the production, materials and how it connects to social forces, and you will find all kinds of meanings in the works of art!