Valentine 1845 - 1875

This Valentine, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a small token made of paper. Its tactile quality is immediately apparent, with layers of delicate lace paper forming a complex structural composition. The anonymous creator uses symmetry, arranging lace patterns and cherubic figures around a central image of a child. This figure is framed by a floral wreath. The texture of the lace contrasts with the smooth surface of the central illustration, drawing the eye deeper into the card. The visual grammar here speaks to a sentimental aesthetic of love and innocence. Yet, consider how the structural layers and ornate details may function beyond mere decoration. Are they not also framing an understanding of desire itself, mediated through artifice and cultural codes? Note the small green hearts placed at the top: what message are they trying to convey? The card’s value lies not just in its representational content but in how it invites us to examine the construction of meaning through material and form, a continuing discourse on how we express love.