Victorian St. Valentine's Greeting: Cherub Love Letter, 1890s
Text on Card
There's a secret ever burning In my heart both deep and true, And to tell it I am yearning, Let this whisper "I love you." ST. VALENTINE'S GREETING
Description
Two children dance together against a large heart-shaped backdrop in this enchanting Victorian Valentine—a boy in a white sailor-style outfit with gold trim and a curly-haired girl in a crimson dress with a green bow and floral embroidery. The ornate typography proclaims 'St. Valentine's Greeting' in elegant script at the bottom, while rich chromolithographic printing creates luminous gradations from coral to pale pink, with gold accents adorning the boy's sash. The heart-shaped composition embodies the Victorian era's idealization of pure, sentimental love.
Subjects
children, boy, girl, dancing, heart backdrop, ribbon/bow, floral embroidery
Printing Notes
Hand-colored chromolithographic printing with metallic gold accents and embossed detail work typical of premium Victorian greeting cards.
