Valentine’s Day Themed Artworks from the Past 100 Years
Valentine’s Day is widely recognized as a celebration of romance and affection, with couples exchanging gifts and enjoying special moments together. This article explores a century of Valentine’s Day-themed artworks, highlighting pieces that might otherwise go unnoticed. From a cutout card in the 2010s to a piece of women’s suffrage memorabilia, the range is broad. Whether you’re sharing this with a partner or enjoying it solo, dive in to discover how artists have expressed love and connection on Valentine’s Day across 100 years.
Woman Suffrage Postcard by Unknown (1921)
Created by an unknown author on February 12th, 1921, the Woman Suffrage Postcard is exactly what it sounds like. It is a postcard that was part of an advertising campaign by the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). According to the item’s description on the National Museum of American History’s (NMAH’s) website, “The National American Woman Suffrage Association began a postcard campaign in 1910, partly to raise awareness of the cause, after the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on August 18, 1920, and American women were given the right to vote.
This postcard matters to me as an American woman who can vote because of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The card’s quote, “TO MY VALENTINE: Love me, Love my Vote,” reminds me that real love means treating someone as an equal. Since this card was made soon after the 19th Amendment passed, its supporters had just witnessed a pivotal moment for American women’s rights.
Valentine greetings to my Mother: [greeting card] by Norcross Greeting Card Company (1930)
Created by the Norcross Greeting Card Company, Valentine greetings to my Mother: [greeting card] is a Valentine’s Day card made in 1930. The artwork depicts a woman wearing 1860s-era clothing. It is a beautiful Valentine’s Day card that is intended to be given from one to their mother rather than their lover.
I like this postcard since it shows that humanity’s interest in historical fiction is nothing new. The woman being depicted is seven decades removed from the artwork depicting her. It is the equivalent of a greeting card made in 2020 depicting a woman from the 1950s. In addition, this card shows that people were caring about their families for a very long time, as one would have to have contact with their mother to buy them a card this nice.
Schrafft’s, 58th St. and Madison Ave., New York City. St. Valentine’s Day Window by Gottscho-Schleisner, Inc. (1948)
Schrafft’s, 58th St. and Madison Ave., New York City. St. Valentine’s Day Window is a photograph made by Gottscho-Schleisner, Inc. on February 1st, 1948. It captures the window display at a restaurant in New York, New York, United States of America. called Schrafft’s. The establishment could be found on Madison Avenue. Multiple Valentine’s Day-themed products are shown in the display. This includes the iconic boxes of chocolate.
I like this artwork since it shows an ordinary store preparing for Valentine’s Day. As a result, it is a peek into the everyday life of the people of Madison Avenue. In addition, it reminds me of the Valentine’s Day displays at stores that I have seen throughout my life as somebody born in the early 2000s. This shows that the experience of seeing Valentine’s Day-themed products for sale decoratively arranged in store windows is nothing new.
Print (1953) by Barbosa
Print is a telegram designed by Barbosa and created in 1953. According to the National Archives of Australia, “during the 1950s, telegrams were a popular method of communication for people who did not have access to a telephone to send an important message.” It provides a blank center for a message to be written, but the edges are decorated with symbols of love and a couple in 19th-century attire. The man looks longingly at the beautiful young woman. At the top, a bird appears to deliver a love letter from him to her. He is shown with a pen and paper, presumably the letter. She is shown reading a piece of paper, possibly the same letter.
This artwork, just like Valentine greetings to my Mother: [greeting card] by Norcross Greeting Card Company (1930), shows that historical fiction, as a genre, has a timeless appeal. It also shows that romance has been associated with Valentine’s Day for a very long time and is also a timeless genre. The artwork also reminds me that the desire to send nicely decorated messages, whether they be telegrams or greeting cards, is nothing new.
Print (1961) by Rosemary Way
Print is a telegram designed by Rosemary Way and created in 1961. On one side, a human couple is relegated to the background. In the front, multiple birds of different species try to impress their potential mates. On the other side, a young human couple in a small structure is surrounded by a heart.
I like this artwork because it shows that humanity loves to associate romance with nature, whether it be a bouquet of flowers or an animal couple. In addition, the animals seem to take the forefront of one side of the card, which shows that humanity is more than willing to use nature as a storytelling device. Way’s art is also very beautiful in my opinion.
Heather’s Valentine (1974) by Charles Swedlund
Heather’s Valentine is a 1974 artwork by Charles Swedlund. It depicts a little girl pointing at a camera while holding a teddy bear and a doll. The picture appears to be taken with a fisheye lens and is placed inside a heart-shaped candy box.
I like this picture because it is adorable. It reminds me of celebrating Valentine’s Day at school in elementary school. I also think that little kids being happy is cute, and this artwork showcases that.
Plate (1984) by Josiah Wedgwood and Sons
The plate is a plate manufactured in 1984 by Josiah Wedgwood and Sons. Like Print (1953), it depicts a couple in 18th-century clothing. Under them is a heart that reads “My Valentine 1984.
I like this plate because it, once again, showcases the desire humanity has for historical fiction. In addition, the artwork is very pretty in my opinion. Plus, I can’t help but be a sucker for romantic art, and this artwork has both that and a cute dog thrown into the mix. The dog reminds me of my own, a dog with whom I naturally have many happy memories.
29c Love Dove in Rose Heart Single (1994) by Ron Sheaff & Lon Busch
29c Love Dove in Rose Heart Single is a postage stamp issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS) on February 14, 1994. It was designed by Ron Sheaff and Lon Busch. It depicts a dove in a heart-shaped bouquet of roses with the caption “LOVE.”
I really like this artwork because I love the color red, and this artwork has plenty of red in it. The artwork is a fitting symbol of love, as “in ancient Greek mythology, peace was a symbol of love” and “in art, literature and culture, roses have long been regarded as symbols of romance in particular.”
I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day (2006) by Amos P. Kennedy Jr.
I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day is a poster created by Amos P. Kennedy Jr. in 2006. The design consists of purple hearts on a pink background behind the phrase “I LOVE YOU! HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY” typed in black text.
I like this artwork’s simple design as it feels like it makes the text pop out more. In addition, this text makes the love for the recipient of this artwork pleasantly obvious. It’s almost like a greeting card in this respect. Finally, the colors depicted are pleasant to look at.
Valentine (2010) by Marian Bantjes
Valentine is an artwork created by Marian Bantjes in 2010. It is a “Heart-shaped laser-cut Valentine’s Day card.” Parts of this artwork have been cut to showcase elaborate designs, including several hearts throughout the work and two Cupids at the top. In the center is a picture of three children building a snowman.
I like this artwork since it reminds me of playing in the snow as a kid. It also reminds me that the season of winter has its benefits despite its freezing cold temperatures and terrible weather. In addition, the design cut out of the card is beautiful and impressively elaborate.
Valentine’s Day, flowers for sale, Vermont Ave. at Rosencrans Ave., Los Angeles (2023) by Camilo J. Vergara
Valentine’s Day, flowers for sale, Vermont Ave. at Rosencrans Ave., Los Angeles is a photograph made by Camilo J. Vergara on February 14th, 2023. It showcases a makeshift stall selling Valentine’s Day flowers in Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
I like this photograph since it provides an insight into the everyday life of some of the people in LA. It also shows that artists care about depicting the lives of ordinary people, which makes their work relatable to many people. Finally, the flowers being sold are beautiful and make the picture look appealing.
Conclusion
It is no mystery that Valentine’s Day has long captured the imagination of artists. From greeting cards and telegrams to posters and photographs, it has been the subject of many artworks. I hope some of the artworks in this article will encourage the people reading it to create their own Valentine’s Day-themed art. To those artists, keep creating, and happy Valentine’s Day.