The second Christmas card
Christmas Card
1848 (made)
1848 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This was once thought to be the first Christmas card because its date, 1848, was misread as 1842. Its design and format is similar to Horsley's Christmas card (see MSL.3293-1987), each showing scenes of middle-class festivities balanced with acts of seasonal charity. Both cards are printed on single sheets about the size of a calling card.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The second Christmas card (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Etching by William Maw Egley (1826-1916) for 'The second Christmas card', 1848. |
| Physical description | Christmas card depicting a ballroom scene on one side and a Christmas dinner on the other side, separated by a Harlequin and Columbine dancing above a swagged banner reading "MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU". Beneath these are scenes of poor people queueing up for soup and some men walking in cold weather. The image is an etching. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mr. H J Deane |
| Object history | E.11 and 12-1940 are the preliminary drawing and finished design for a Christmas card. E.13-1940 is the etching made by the artist after this design. The card was claimed by the artist in his 1935 catalogue to be the second Christmas card produced in England. |
| Summary | This was once thought to be the first Christmas card because its date, 1848, was misread as 1842. Its design and format is similar to Horsley's Christmas card (see MSL.3293-1987), each showing scenes of middle-class festivities balanced with acts of seasonal charity. Both cards are printed on single sheets about the size of a calling card. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Victoria and Albert Museum Charles Dickens: An exhibition to celebrate the centenary of his death London: HMSO, 1970. P.59. Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, June-September 1970. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.13-1940 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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