Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case GG, Shelf 68, Box G

Journée de Poilu

Postcard
1915 (printed), 1915 (published)
Artist/Maker
Unknown (artist)
Place of origin
France (printed)
France (published)

By the early 20th Century greetings postcards had overtaken folder cards in popularity as they were cheaper to post. A ban on Christmas cards to conserve supplies of paper was mooted during the First World War but the idea was abandoned in the interests of maintaining the troops' morale. This patriotic card from France was published to commemorate Journée du Poilu (Soldiers' Day) in 1915. "Poilu" (literally hairy one) was an affectionate nickname for WWI French infantrymen similar to the English "Tommy".


Object details

Categories
Christmas
Greeting Cards
Object type
Postcard
TitleJournée de Poilu (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Letterpress on card
Brief description
Postcard, letterpress on card, 'Journée de Poilu', printed and published in France, World War I, 1915.
Physical description
Postcard in portrait format. On the front: illustration of two French soldiers in uniform, half length, holding rifles, one older and smoking a pipe, the other younger with a rose in his mouth. Lettered above the image with title and below with the dates 25th & 26th December 1925 (in French). On the back: postcard template, patriotic emblems, publisher's information, serial number, postmark Paris 28th December 1915, 10-centime postage stamp, V&A Museum stamp, handwritten correspondence, address, V&A and number.
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.9cm
  • Width: 8.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'JOURNÉE DU POILU / 25 ET 26 DÉCEMBRE / . 1915 . /' (On the front, above and below the image, printed in black (faded))
    Translation
    Day of the Soldier / 25 and 26 December / 1915
  • 'Impressions Artistiques. Marque NÉO-PEINTURE. 12 Rue Ballu, PARIS. / S_No. 42681' (On the back, printed in black)
  • 'PARIS XVI - PLACE CHOPIN / 12 * / 28 . XII / 1915' (Postmarked on the back)
  • 'V&A' (On the back, handwritten in black ink)
  • (V&A Museum stamp) (On the back, stamped in dark blue ink)
  • 'B2.2' (On the back, handwritten in pencil)
  • 'Bonne année! / Meilleurs souvenirs / de nous deux / F. de Halstein' (On the back, handwritten in black ink)
    Translation
    Happy New Year! / Best wishes / from us both / F. de Halstein
  • 'R. Steele, esq. / 85, Devonport Rd / Sheperds Buch (sic) / London / Angleterre' (On the back, handwritten in black ink)
Subjects depicted
War
Soldiers
Uniforms
Pipes
Roses
Rifles (Long Guns)
First World War
Summary
By the early 20th Century greetings postcards had overtaken folder cards in popularity as they were cheaper to post. A ban on Christmas cards to conserve supplies of paper was mooted during the First World War but the idea was abandoned in the interests of maintaining the troops' morale. This patriotic card from France was published to commemorate Journée du Poilu (Soldiers' Day) in 1915. "Poilu" (literally hairy one) was an affectionate nickname for WWI French infantrymen similar to the English "Tommy".
Other numbers
  • B2.2
  • S_No. 426819
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.410-2008

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdDecember 7, 2010
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1176113/journée-de-poilu-postcard-unknown/
Download as: JSON