Valentine 1879

Editor: Here we have an interesting artwork titled "Valentine" created in 1879. It's a mixed-media piece encompassing painting, drawing, collage, and printmaking, and it’s currently housed at the Met. I'm really struck by the handmade quality of it; it feels very personal. What catches your eye about this piece? Curator: Immediately, the range of materials signals something about its production. Mass-produced prints and possibly commercially-available embossed papers are brought together with hand-painted elements. This raises questions. Who made this? Was this a factory production line where workers added painted elements, or was it made entirely by a single artisan? How does this blurring of craft and commercial production challenge the traditional boundaries of "high art" versus decorative arts? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn’t thought about the labor involved. So, it's less about the artistry of a single individual and more about the conditions of production in the late 19th century? Curator: Exactly. Consider the social context. Victorian society was obsessed with sentimentality and gift-giving, so there would be a huge market for decorative ephemera. These materials had to be affordable and accessible. Did the process allow for self-expression and were workers or craftspeople being exploited in factories? What do you think? Editor: It makes me see the image very differently now. Before, I saw a quaint scene of Cupid and roses, but now I'm thinking about the systems and labor behind its creation and distribution. This commercial valentine wasn't just an expression of affection; it's an object deeply embedded in the economic structures of its time. Curator: Precisely! And that is how the study of material culture and production helps us understand broader social histories. This is not "just" a pretty Valentine's card. Editor: Thanks, I'll definitely be looking at the materials and manufacturing processes more closely from now on!