Historical Valentines

Presented by Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory and Educational Foundation at The Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory and Educational Foundation, Cleveland OH

Jan 31 2023

During this virtual workshop we’ll construct a model of historic valentines. Participants can make more personalized valentines to send for Valentine’s Day or incorporate these techniques in their artwork after class.

Instructor: Stephanie Wolff

In the mid-19th century, cobweb or bee-hive valentines were sometimes delivered on Valentine’s Day. They had a picture, often flowers or a picturesque scene, with a string in the center. When the string was pulled the top picture revealed a second picture underneath, visible through cuts in the top layer with the stretched paper having the appearance of a cobweb. The woven heart in hand was another “token of love” exchanged.