Victorian Valentines: Intimacy in the Industrial Age

This exhibition focuses on the traditions and myths of Valentine's Day by examining handmade and commercially produced love tokens from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, held at the American Antiquarian Society. From the intimate appeal of reading a beloved’s handwriting to the sheer delight of quickly sending and receiving anonymous messages through the mail, the celebration of what was originally a minor saint’s day connected lovers, friends, and enemies both close and far. The manner in which Homer’s central female figure lovingly grasps her valentine demonstrates the emotional bond that led first the original recipients, and then collectors, to preserve these fragile and generally inexpensive artifacts throughout the centuries.

Item Collection Format