Valentine

Anonymous, French, 18th century

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This hand-painted missive is an elevated example of the types of expressions of friendship and romance that were popular in late-eighteenth century France. At center is a landscape with medieval-era architecture, as well as clouds, trees, heart blossoms, and a boat and bridge in the foreground. The inclusion of a church suggests that the missive might have functioned as a sacred marriage proposal. Bordering the landscape are delicately rendered flowers that have been pinpricked to evoke depth. Symbolizing love, roses and carnations are particularly common in expressions of love and romance ofthe period.

Drawings and Prints

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Department’s vast collection of works on paper comprises approximately 21,000 drawings, 1.2 million prints, and 12,000 illustrated books created in Europe and the Americas from about 1400 to the present day. Since its foundation in 1916, the Department has been committed to collecting a wide range of works on paper, which includes both pieces that are incredibly rare and lauded for their aesthetic appeal, as well as material that is more popular, functional, and ephemeral. The broad scope of the department’s collecting encourages questions of connoisseurship as well as those pertaining to function and context, and demonstrates the vital role that prints, drawings, and illustrated books have played throughout history.

Metropolitan Museum of Art