16.00 USD
1866 was the year in which the opéra comique "Mignon" by Ambroise Thomas (based upon a novel by Goethe) opened with great success in Paris. From there, its popularity spread through Europe and the Americas.Though the opera went through a number of changes in language, in endings (from happy, to tragic, and back again), etc., it remained hugely popular, and the story, of a tragical Gypsy girl (you'll get no spoilers here), took hold in the popular imagination.
When, at the turn of the century, postcard collecting became a huge craze, the character Mignon became a postcard favorite. We love the broad variety of Mignon images, almost all of them easily identifiable as Mignon, not only by the text "Mignon" usually prominent on the card's face, but by the character herself: a lovely young Gypsy waif, barefoot, in somewhat ragged clothing, and bearing a mandolin.
Of course, through market saturation (marketing being even then, much like what it is now :), there grew to be almost numberless variations on the theme. Mignons with lyres, on horseback, half-dressed and sultry-eyed in haystacks, cute toddler Mignons, even cuter baby Mignons, even cat and dog Mignons! And we do love almost all of them :)
This one is very interesting. 60 years, more or less, had passed between the date of the opera's opening and the printing of this image. Note that there is no "Mignon" title printed on the card. Our Gypsy waif has become decontextualized, now an unnamed character type off the "silver screen," with those classic "racoon" eyes that pretty much began as a technical innovation in the new medium of silent film*, and it's likely that the youngest generation of postcard buyers when purchasing this card, no longer even associated the image with the original opera!
*Racoon eyes were applied on silent film actors in order to accentuate desired characteristics of those most expressive of the facial features: the eyes. This was not merely an application of black eye makeup (as we might have thought), but a complex balance of what were often several colors, depending on an actor's skin tone, color of eyes, hair, etc. Lavender, blue, black, yellow, red, create different effects in "black and white."
Below, is a link to one of the more popular arias from the opera Mignon, "Connais-tu le pays?" or "Do you know the land?" a lovely, wistful song in which Mignon expresses her (almost metaphysical) longing for her home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyzKLKNfG_w
A great 1920s Mignon image in very nice condition. Please examine our high res scans for detail.
Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.
And please come visit our blog at:
redpoulaine.blogspot.com
where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!