The Love Letter

Eighteenth-century artists and collectors prized oil sketches, seeing in them the spark of a painter’s first inspiration and a trace of the artist’s hand. This finished work embraces that ideal. Fragonard’s lively brushwork—thick and thin strokes alive with light—illuminates the woman’s cap, powdered face, flowers, dress, and fluffy dog. More than a portrait, it’s a genre scene that hints at a story unfolding beyond the frame: a letter and a bouquet suggest a secret exchange of affection. The motif of love letters, cherished by Vermeer and his peers a century earlier, finds new life here.

There’s magic in sending something by hand. Just like Fragonard’s brush captured a fleeting spark of emotion, a handwritten postcard holds a trace of your own. This holiday season, share warmth the old-fashioned way with our Christmas & Holiday Season Postcards Set—a collection made for art lovers who still believe in the beauty of personal gestures.

P.S. Here are the 10 most romantic artworks about love! Enjoy!