Visitekaartje van prenthandel F.B. Daniell & Son te Londen c. 1738 - 1930

Editor: Here we have a visiting card for F.B. Daniell & Son, print sellers in London. The engraving is attributed to Francesco Bartolozzi and it dates from about 1738 to 1930. I'm intrigued by its allegorical figures advertising a business; what symbols stand out to you? Curator: Indeed, the allegory speaks volumes. The central female figure likely represents Art or perhaps Commerce, given the context. Note how she carries what appears to be a laurel, a symbol of triumph and excellence, almost as an offering to potential clients. This echoes in how the cherubic figures evoke inspiration and divine approval, associating the print business with classic beauty and skill. Doesn't the lyre played by one suggest harmony and refinement too? Editor: Yes, that's fascinating! So the visual language aimed to elevate the print-selling business beyond mere trade, associating it with timeless virtues? But why present it in this classical style? Curator: Precisely. The Neoclassical style, popular during parts of that era, signalled sophistication and cultivated taste. Patrons of the time associated such imagery with learning, status, and enduring value. It's a statement: we’re not just selling prints, we're purveyors of fine art, inheritors of a great tradition. Do you feel this card is an invitation, a declaration, or something else entirely? Editor: I now see the card is a mini-manifesto about the company's values. I would have just thought the style looked antiquated and removed from contemporary tastes if you had not contextualized its original function. Curator: Ultimately, visual symbols build bridges through time, even on something as seemingly trivial as a business card. Today we are seeing not just the image but echoes of how society wanted to see itself. Editor: Thanks for untangling those symbols! I realize I was skipping over their significance and symbolic history, making them seem more old fashioned than potent.