Author(s): Steven Heller

Art

While it may be true that our annual celebration of love began as a pagan feast of the flesh in third century Rome, that shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying this charming collection of Valentine's Day ephemera. From cards to candy boxes, party favors to ads and more, these classic graphics celebrate the holiday of love during the period of 1900 to the 1960s. You'll find the pun quotient to be delightfully high, exemplified by such gems as a baker exclaiming, "You're surely well 'bread'" and a bullfighter vowing "Bullieve me - I love you!" To put the imagery in context, Steven Heller's introductory essay traces the history of Valentine's Day.