FANTASY Faces SURREAL Faces Postcards

The explosion in popularity of the "picture" postcard at the turn-of-the-century (circa 1900) came quickly on the heels of changes made in the international rules and rates governing postcards. With agreements made to significantly lower postage rates and create conventions regarding mailing postcards internationally there was a a huge jump in the use and production of postcards.

Although the mails were filled with Eiffel Towers, London Bridges and Taj Mahals, inventive publishers turned to creating entertainment on the front picture postcards. One of the expanding areas of experimentation, especially in Germany and France, was the so-called "fantasy" postcard. Here are some examples of fantasy and surreal faces from those earliest experiments circa 1900 to the mid-1920s

(above) Eye color and what is signifies as explained in a four line poem.

From a series of a woman gurning.

Very popular (circa 1905 to 1915) were faces created using multiple images, usually nudes, ala the Italian artist Acrimboldo's method, referred to in the postcard trade as metamorphics.

French fantasy "beauty and light" circa 1905.

 Two postcards from a very rare series Etudes de Visage featuring the grimacing faces of Rovilain, French circa 1920s.

Creating propaganda using fantasy techniques was very popular especially 

as the first World War was approaching.

Distorted La Belle Otero, music-hall star and celebrated courtesan starring 

at a picture of her then lover, King Leopold of Belgium.

Anatomical Head, Italy circa 1910

Anti-papal propaganda Church of France, circa 1905

Very popular (circa 1905 to 1915) were faces created using multiple images, usually nudes, ala the Italian artist Acrimboldo's method, referred to in the postcard trade as metamorphics.

 Gurning German performer circa 1920s

Hand-tinted, kitschy Pierrot, circa 1925

Exceptional close-up, art deco styled portrait by Julian Mandel; green, dyed emulsion with touches of gold and red at the edges; circa 1925.

The Unich. Tinted metamorphic, acrimboldesque head of a unich, 

French circa 1905.

French newspaper with distorted face of politician, circa 1905.

_____