Valentine 1850 - 1870

This Valentine, made by an anonymous artist, is a testament to the social rituals of courtship and affection. The card exemplifies the Victorian era’s intricate aesthetics and the commercialization of sentiment. The lace paper and gilded details speak to the commodification of love, transforming personal feelings into mass-produced objects. The imagery of shells and children in traditional dress evokes a sense of innocence, but it also speaks to the gendered expectations of love and domesticity. Young girls and boys were taught to perform very specific gender roles, which are subtly encoded in this object of affection. The inscription, "A memento of love," suggests a desire for lasting connection, but also hints at the ephemeral nature of relationships. The Valentine bridges the personal and public, reflecting how societal norms shape our most intimate emotions and it invites us to reflect on how we express love and desire.