Valentine from 1904

'A Leap Year Valentine' from 1904 showing a lady chasing a man through the numerals '1904'. Postcardby G.T. Channing, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, 1904. LOC #LC-DIG-ppmsca-19058.

Proper Victorian ladies did not ask men to marry them. They simply waited and hoped. But popular belief held that in a leap year, on on February 29, it was acceptable for a lady to ask a gentleman to marry her. Hence this ‘Leap Year Valentine’ which shows a lady chasing a rather reluctant gentleman through the numerals ‘1904′. [Yes, I know this year is not a leap year, but the graphic is so fun I decided to include it rather than wait two years!] Moreover, in 1904, the proper Victorian ladies hadn’t had a chance to turn the tables for eight years – because 1900 was not a leap year!

Click on it to see it/download it full-sized. This image is from the Library of Congress digital collections.

Peace,
Bekka

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Victorian girls flirting from the window

Victorian girls flirting with gentlemen from a window. Theater poster by A. S. Seer, lithographer, c. 1898. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LOC #var1605.

At the turn of the 20th century, it was not uncommon for lithographers who made theater posters to design ones that needed only the name of the performance added. Others simply advertised, in a general way, the name of a theater company. This one possibly fell into the latter category. In either case, it doesn’t have a play or opera title on it – just the name of the theater company: “The Great Gotham Stock Co.”

But, I chose it because we are heading towards Valentine’s Day (one more week!) and ladies flirting with gentlemen seemed very much in keeping with that theme. The lady in the middle is even appropriately dressed in red!

This image comes from the Library of Congress digital collections. Click on it to see it/download it full-sized.

Peace,

Bekka

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Birthday Cake

Line drawing of a cake with candles, by Pearson Scott Foresman. Made PD by artist. From Wikipedia Commons.

In honor of my son Todd’s 11th birthday, today’s DPD is a birthday cake with candles, drawn by Pearson Scott Foresman. Foresman made hundreds of line drawings and donated them to Wikipedia Commons. They are all public domain. Sorry, but this is as big as this one gets. The one below is also made public domain by artist, listed only as Phantasus, and is also from Wikipedia commons. Click on it to see it/download it full-sized.

Picture of kids birthday party

Kids birthday party illustration by Phantasus. Made PD by artist, from Wikipedia Commons.

Happy Birthday Todd!

Love,
Mom

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Heart shaped map of the world

Heart-shaped map, 1536. From Wikipedia Commons.

Here is a fun image if your love is distant this Valentine’s Day: A heart-shaped map of the world. It was drawn in 1556. Why is it in a heart-shape? I don’t know. But it sure is fun! Click on the image to see it/download it full-sized.

Peace,

Bekka

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Romeo and Juliet

'Romeo and Juliet', Frank Bernard Dicksee (1853-1928), 1894. From Wikipedia Commons.

Continuing on the Valentine theme, here is yet another passionate Victorian depiction of Romeo and Juliet. Lots of kissing in these supposedly prudish Victorian paintings! I like this one better because it doesn’t look like Romeo is about to fall off the balcony.

Frank Bernard Dicksee (1853-1928) was an English Victorian painter, who, though he never joined the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, none-the-less is considered Pre-Raphaelite in style. Another of his paintings depicts a Viking funeral. You can read more about him in the Wikipedia article on him.

Peace and love,

Bekka

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'Romeo and Juliet'

'Romeo and Juliet' ,1870, by Ford Madox Brown. From Wikipedia Commons.

Here we have a painting of Romeo and Juliet by Ford Madox Brown. I can’t remember where in the play Romeo actually climbs onto Juliet’s balcony; but it is a wonderfully passionate image none-the-less and perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Ford Madox Brown (1821-1893) was French by birth, but is considered an English painter, for most of his adult life was spent in England. He was a student of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and is best known for the murals he painted in the townhall of Manchester, England. His most famous painting, “The Last of England”, shows an emigrant couple on a ship gazing back at the land they are leaving. He later worked for William Morris’ design company. You can read more about him in the Wikipedia article on him.

To see or download the image full-sized, click on it.

Peace and love,
Bekka

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Photo of a groundhog

Photo of a groundhog from Wikipedia Commons.

Happy Groundhog’s Day!

In honor of the humble woodchuck, today I am stepping away from Valentine themed images for just a day. Instead, here are some groundhogs, found on Wikipedia Commons.

Line drawing of a groundhog.

Groundhog by Pearson Scott Foreman, released by artist into the public domain. From Wikipedia Commons.

Back in the days before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, my family started celebrating Groundhog’s Day as a way to break up the post-New Year’s winter monotony. My father even wrote some Groundhog’s Day songs, such as this one:

The Groundhog and the Woodchuck
[To the tune of "The Holly and the Ivy"]

The Groundhog and the Woodchuck,
When both of them you name
You will find if you but look it up
That they are both the same.

-Tune: Traditional Lyrics: Robert R. Fildes

And, every year, he makes Groundhog’s Day cookies – little gingerbread or molasses cookies shaped like groundhogs. Ours arrived in the mail well packaged and unharmed:

Photo of the Groundhog's Day cookies my dad sent us.

Groundhog's Day cookies. Photo by Rebecca Klingbeil.

And they were delicious!

Click on the first two images to see / download them full-sized.

Peace,

Bekka

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A Stolen Interview by E.B. Leighton 1888

'A Stolen Interview', 1888. Edmund Blair Leighton (1853-1922)

In honor of Valentine’s Day coming up, here is a romantic painting by Victorian medievalist Edmund Blair Leighton. It’s called “The Stolen Interview” and shows a couple secretly courting while the ladies chaperone naps in the sun. I think it would make fun Valentine’s Day card from a ’secret admirer’. I found this, along with many other fine works of art, on Wikipedia Commons. Click to view / download it full-sized.

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Victorian Valentine featuring cherubic kids kicking a heart-shaped football.

Victorian valentine, c. 1900. It reads 'O Cupid, cupid / How can you be so cruel?' From Wikipedia Commons.

I suppose with both Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl coming up, I thought that this little Victorian gem was appropriate. It features two cherubic kids kicking around a heart-shaped football. It reads ‘O Cupid, Cupid / How can you be so cruel?’ I suppose it is a Valentine you send to someone who has resisted your advances! I found it on >Wikipedia Commons some time back. Click on it to see it/download it full-sized.

Peace,

Bekka

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Handmade Victorian Valentine made with die-cuts

Handmade Victorian Valentine, 1890s.

Here is another pretty valentine found on Wikipedia Commons. It’s a handmade Valentine from the 1890s, made with diecuts. In addition to the flowers and the filligree hearts, there is a little Dutch girl and boy and what appears to be a lake scene. Click on the image to see it/download it full-sized.

Peace,

Bekka

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