#Louis Prang

[ombre-originelle]

Louis Prang - L'amour et Psyché (1887)

[eirene]

Woman with Lily, ca. 1861–1897

Louis Prang

[oncanvas]

The Painted Lady from The Butterflies and Moths of America Part 2, Louis Prang & Co., 1862

Lithograph 4 ⅛ x 2 ⅜ in. (10.4 x 6.1 cm) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, NY, USA

[podartists]

Fructos de Autumno (ca. 1861-1897) | Louis Prang (1824-1909)

[arthistorydaily]

Tiger Moth from the Butterflies and Moths of America series, Louis Prang & Co, USA, 1862–69

Met Museum New York

Provenance: donated by Jefferson R. Burdick

Sheet: 4 in. × 2 1/2 in. (10.2 × 6.4 cm)

[ericrobertnolan]

Christmas card by Louis Prang, 19th Century

Christmas card by Louis Prang, 19th Century

[thepastisalreadywritten]

In 1843, Sir Henry Cole, an English civil servant, created the first commercial Christmas card.

The illustration by John Callcott Horsley depicted a family toasting Christmas in the center, with scenes of Good Samaritans helping the poor on both sides.

Somewhat unexpectedly, it also included the image of a small child sipping a glass of red wine.

The popularity of holiday cards grew in the latter half of the 19th century as they became easier to mass produce.

In 1874, lithographer Louis Prang started selling Christmas cards in the U.S.

Six years later, he was printing more than five million per year.

"All these Christmas cards needed artwork, which meant new opportunities for artists, lithographers, engravers, printers, ink and pasteboard makers,” according to an 1883 article in the Times on the burgeoning card industry.

Surprisingly, the artwork itself was not always traditional Christmas fare.

Unlike today’s holiday cards, religious themes were rare, and they did not always feature traditional festive scenes.

Go ahead and admire these pretty–and pretty unusual–Victorian Christmas and New Year’s cards.

There’s not a Santa Claus or winter wonderland in sight.

[connoisseur-art]

🌟Dreaming of Christmas ~ Louis Prang (1824-1909)

[historyofchildhood]

Prang actively sought to promote arts and artists and played a major role in art education.  Prior to his work art lessons were laregely limited to the upper classes of America.  Prang believed it was important for all people to have the opportunity to appreciate art and develop their own creativity and skills.  By 1882 he had established the Prang Educational Company which provided quality art supplies and made them available to public schools as well as advice for teachers to incorporate drawing and painting into their lessons.  

[thechildrensmuseum]

Merry... Christmas? In the late 19th century (still the early days for Christmas cards) many cards actually didn’t feature traditional Christmas imagery. This seaside themed card was made by the Louis Prang Co. in 1881.

[artindulgence]

Victorian Era

The Victorian Era (1819–1901) can be characterized by “strong moral and religious beliefs, proper social conventions, and optimism.” During this era chromolithography, aka color printing became heightened in popularity.

One of the things I adore most from the Victorian era was the scrap collecting. This was popularized largely by Louis Prang, a man who renowned for his expertise in chromolithography printing and contribution to art education in creating nontoxic materials for children. 

“Collecting these “beautiful art bits” was a major Victorian pastime, and Prang’s wildflowers, butterflies, children, animals, and birds became the ultimate expression of the period’s love for sentimentalism, nostalgia, and traditional values.”

Prang is also credited for his innovative designs for holiday graphics and popularizing images such as Santa Claus and reindeer and flying cherubs for Valentines day, as well as other annual holiday cards. So interesting to learn that these symbols we still celebrate today were all popularized back in the mid to late 1800′s.

 Of course the Victorian Era has so much more to it than just this, as it is a very broad time period with tons of history, but I find this small, simple facet of it interesting nonetheless. 

-Sam

Sources:  Meggs, Philip B., and Alston W. Purvis. Meggs History of Graphic Design. Wiley, 2016.

[eirene]

Cards by Louis Prang, 1861–1897.

[christophertjart]

Winning design for Louis Prang’s Christmas 1881 Christmas card contest

[genzittung]

#JoyeuxNoël #Alsace #Genealogie Carte de Voeux On ne le rappellera jamais assez, le père Noël n'existe pas et cela est d'autant plus vrai en Alsace où l'ont fête à sa place une figure païenne maquillée en enfant Jesus: …

[ericrobertnolan]

Seasons Greetings, One and All!

Seasons Greetings, One and All!

If I haven’t said this to yet individually yet, then I am wishing you and yours a fun, safe and happy holiday season.

  Photo credit: 19th Century Christmas card by Louis Prang

[rolfsplads]

友達の誕生日が今年も来た！