Frogs, candle people and dinosaurs. Strange Christmas cards from the past | Arthive

We live in an era of visual diversity. Modern artists invent new ways of self-expression – sometimes shocking, puzzling and puzzling. And many of us sometimes still involuntarily flash the thought: "But before it was different ..." I have to disappoint you: it wasn't. It turns out that in the second half of the XIX - early XX century, when the fine arts still obeyed rather strict rules, the producers of greeting cards "broke away" as much as they could. We have collected for you a whole collection of unusual and absurd postcards on which Christmas trees kiss with snowmen, pigs dance with gnomes, and Santa Claus looks not so cute and kind.

!Frogs, candle people and dinosaurs. Strange Christmas cards from the past

Among all the companies that printed Christmas and New Year cards in the Victorian era, two stand out in particular – Raphael Tuck & Sons and De La Rue. But if the former most often just took an attractive picture and decorated it with a congratulatory inscription (sometimes completely inappropriate), the second, it seems, deliberately chose eccentric images. De La Rue printed greeting cards for only one decade (from 1875 to 1885), but during this time they managed to produce an impressive number of images that raise many questions.

!За этим изображением явно скрыта очень загадочная история.

За этим изображением явно скрыта очень загадочная история.

!О том, что это новогодняя открытка, говорит только надпись «The Compliments of the Season» — одно из

О том, что это новогодняя открытка, говорит только надпись «The Compliments of the Season» — одно из традиционных английских поздравлений с зимними праздниками.

!А здесь поздравительная надпись хорошо замаскирована — ее можно разглядеть в левом нижнем углу. И от

А здесь поздравительная надпись хорошо замаскирована — ее можно разглядеть в левом нижнем углу. И от этого сюжет становится еще менее понятным.

Why, instead of traditional Christmas stories, did De La Rue and similar companies choose anthropomorphic insects, flower fairies and dinosaurs? The thing is that the market of greeting cards at the end of the XIX century was oversaturated. And, in order to stand out against the general background of fabulous winter landscapes, blonde angels and cute kittens with bows, De La Rue hired artists who could create something new (by the way, this company was one of the very few, who collaborated with women artists). And the Victorians tried to buy as many unnecessary things as possible for Christmas (does not remind anyone?) and were more willing to choose non-standard images.

!For the interest of the Victorians in prehistoric creatures (and for the appearance of such cards), it is worth thanking стоит благодарить")

For the interest of the Victorians in prehistoric creatures (and for the appearance of such cards), it is worth thanking Charles Darwin.

!Maybe it's an early concept costume design for Santa Claus's elves?

Maybe it's an early concept costume design for Santa Claus's elves?

Among other things, at that time, postcards were a source of visual novelty. Not everyone could afford to buy a picture, and postcards were inexpensive and colorful. People collected them, inserted them into frames, exchanged them. It was a way to share cute or funny pictures with others – something like Instagram is now.

!Very festive, isn't it?

Very festive, isn't it? Very festive, isn't it?

!Very cute cats who... sitting on the mouthpiece?

Very cute cats who... sitting on the mouthpiece?

!But the torchlight procession of birds looks a little ominous. Though maybe they're bringing fire to the cats with

But the torchlight procession of birds looks a little ominous. Although, maybe they are bringing fire to the cats from the previous postcard?

Let's return briefly to the company Raphael Tuck & Sons, who printed hundreds of postcards on a variety of occasions, not always caring that the picture somehow correlated with the text. In their heritage, you can also find a lot of strange postcards, although they are lost in the general flow. Just look at the revived Christmas pudding or dogs playing the bagpipes.

!Sobbing children are the best way to congratulate loved ones. Although they cry because the treat has ended.

Sobbing children are the best way to congratulate loved ones. Although they cry because the treat is over.

!Maybe that's how Scotland used to celebrate Christmas?

Maybe that's how Scotland used to celebrate Christmas?

!"Alice, it's pudding. Pudding, it's Alice."

«Alice, it's pudding. Pudding, it's Alice."

Frequent guests on vintage New Year's cards were pigs - a symbol of the coming 2019. And often they were depicted with bags of money or surrounded by coins. The fact is that in many Teutonic and Scandinavian traditions, the pig symbolized good luck and prosperity. So, giving loved ones "pig" cards, people did not mean anything bad, but wished each other financial well-being.

!Is it a mini-pig or just a very large fly agaric?

Is it a mini-pig or just a very large fly agaric?

!So people congratulated each other on the onset of 1910. Do not forget, this is a wish for well-being.

So people congratulated each other on the onset of 1910. Do not forget, this is a wish for well-being.

!Four-leaf clover - the famous symbol of good luck - is also often found on postcards with piglets.

Four-leaf clover - the famous symbol of good luck - is also often found on postcards with piglets. But is there anything in this picture that can distract from the gnome's facial expression?

!So that's what happens in the barn, while no one sees!

So that's what happens in the barn, while no one sees!

But why there are so many frogs and insects on Christmas cards is not entirely clear. - [](https://www.instagram.com/arthivecom/)