ticketsMember | Make a donation

Valentine with lace paper and faux pearls

Attributed to Esther Howland American
ca. 1855
Not on view
Exquisite lace paper produced by MANSELL is used in copious layers to create a Valentine with numerous delicate lift-up flaps and openings. Each lace page or flap is edged in gold paint. The top layer is edged in gold, and the lace is further highlighted in gold. A central area of paper has been removed and replaced with blue satin fabric. At the center is a magnificent rosette of folded white satin ribbon, which is dotted with gold paper stars, and six pearl pendants. In the center is a die-cut scrap of a rose and forget-me-nots. The next layer has a bouquet of tiny fabric flowers, with a bright gold Dresden paper die-cut bow. Another layer has a watercolor bouquet, and poetry written in ink. The final layer, consists of two pieces of lace, attached as doors, each with a silver dove affixed, and closed with a silver die-cut of a kneeling Cupid. The doors open to reveal the chromolithographed image of a loving couple, framed with embossed gold.


The embellishments and style lead to the conclusion that this, although unsigned, is from the workshop of Esther Howland.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Valentine with lace paper and faux pearls
  • Artist: Attributed to Esther Howland (American, Worcester, Massachusetts 1828–1904 Quincy, Massachusetts)
  • Date: ca. 1855
  • Medium: Cameo-embossed lace paper, chromolithographed die-cuts, faux pearls, blue satin, white satin ribbon, gold paper stars, graphite, ink, watercolor
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 9 1/8 × 7 7/8 in. (23.2 × 20 cm)
  • Classification: Ephemera
  • Credit Line: Gift of Gladys Norbury, 1957
  • Object Number: 57.565
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Valentine, Esther Howland American, Cameo-embossed, open-work, gilded, glossy lace paper, chromolithography, die-cut scraps
Valentine
Esther Howland
ca. 1860
Valentine, Esther Howland American, Collage, colored papers, lace paper, chromolithographed die-cut scrap
Valentine
Esther Howland
mid 19th century
Valentine, Esther Howland American, Collage, colored papers, lace paper, chromolithographed die-cut scraps
Valentine
Esther Howland
mid 19th century
Valentine, Esther Howland American, Open-work cameo embossed lace paper, colored paper wafers, die cut scraps, motto paper
Valentine
Esther Howland
mid 19th century
Valentine, Esther Howland American, Cameo-embossed lace paper, chromolithographed die cut scraps, green glossy paper, blue ink, red ink
Valentine
Esther Howland
1847–70

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.