POSTCARDS: RESURFACING AN OLD TRADITION
Could the habit of sending postcards bring tactility and analogue ritualism into our environments?
Corresponding has never been easier than today. The digital evolution has shaped the way we communicate with one another. E-mails, chats, and texts are instantaneous, allowing written back-and-forth conversations in a matter of seconds. With traditional, analogue means of correspondence, a short conversation would require weeks, if not months to complete.
The advantages of this technology are countless, including the ability to request immediate assistance in times of crisis. We are also able to share our daily lives with friends and family who live at a distance.
At the same time, digital communication has significantly decreased the meaningfulness of correspondence. Messages are shorter and words are abbreviated. Sometimes, they are completely replaced by emojis.
Despite the easy access to digital communication devices, young people continue using analogue —as in non—digital- communication tools for special moments. A handwritten birthday card may accompany a gift or a postcard from a foreign destination is sent back home.
Regarding postcards in particular, more than half of millennials (53%) and 47% of Gen Z send postcards while travelling, according to a recent survey. Postcards are not a means of meaningless conversations; they are keepsakes of past adventures and, perhaps, a way to increase our tactile experiences. The texture and smell of the paper and the slow, intentional act of writing by hand transform communication into a ritual.
But, where does this habit, which is more relevant than ever, originate from?
The Origin of Postcards
We may now take postcards for granted. But, in the 19th century, they were seen as a radical innovation.
Since the beginning of postal services, people would send each other small handwritten notes or pictures. But, in July 1840, something groundbreaking occurred. Theodore Hook, an English writer and known prankster, mailed himself a hand-painted card. There was no sender’s addressed on it nor did he use an envelope to obscure its content. The card featured a caricature of postal clerks, hand-painted to prank the postage workers. The card is considered the world’s oldest postcard, known as “Penny Penates,” as this exact phrase is written on the cover.
However, it took a few more decades until postcards were designed the way they look today; made of sturdy materials and with a dedicated section for the postage stamp and the recipient’s address.
The first open post-sheet card made of stiff paper was made in the 1860s in Austria. The official idea belonged to Heinrich von Stephan, a German postal official, whose idea was deemed “too radical” for its time. Within four years and due to the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, more similar ideas were proposed to the postal authorities and, by 1870, postcards were available for sale. They did not feature beautiful pictures, as they were marketed as a fast and cheap means of correspondence between soldiers and their family members.
Things changed when postcards started appearing in the rest of Europe, with France issuing the first printed picture postcard, featuring armaments and military symbolism. In 1871, the first ever souvenir postcard was mailed in Vienna, starting a long-standing tradition of miniature travelogues.
Mailing Works of Art
The golden age of postcards started in 1890 and lasted till the early 20th century. Demand increased, with seven billion postcards being mailed between 1905 to 1915.
With colour printing technologies excelling over time, postcards were no longer selected just for their durability. They featured original illustrations and scenic views. They were tiny rectangular works of art that were meant to be saved as keepsakes or collectables.
Resurfacing an Old Tradition
As an increasing number of young people seek analogue habits, sending and receiving postcards can bring back the act of exchanging thoughtful, meaningful messages.
The postcard collection of Manuela Menzi Studio was created to bring joy, either by being used for unexpected notes, staying in touch, or as miniature works of art. Each postcard features a unique collage design, printed in full colour on premium paper.