Wensbrief met decoratief kader Possibly 1775 - 1850

This greeting card with a decorative frame was made by the widow C. Kok-van Kolm, and is printed on paper. The frame is full of festive vignettes. Look closely, and you'll see both religious scenes, like the Nativity, and secular ones of prosperous daily life. The printing process would have been relatively laborious, involving hand-engraved plates and multiple colors applied in sequence. You can imagine how the act of sending such a card implied a degree of affluence and status. The paper itself would have been relatively precious, underlining the gesture of goodwill. Notably, the central space is left blank. This would have been filled by hand, making each card unique, and giving the printed frame a personal touch. This combination of mechanical reproduction with individual expression is what gives the card its special character, somewhere between a manufactured object and a handmade one. This reflects social shifts, of labor, class, and wealth, in the 19th century.