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About the Collection
The Albert A. Anderson Jr. and Evelynn M. Ellis art education drawing books offers a selection of examples of digitized 19th century drawing cards. While the broader Anderson Ellis Art Education print collection consists of several hundreds of pedagogical tools that document the field of art education, this digital collection aims to preserve and highlight one of the most ephemeral tools of the 19th century: the drawing card.
The production of drawing manuals designed specifically for children was a goal of even the earliest authors and publishers of art education materials. Toward the middle of the 19th century new forms of drawing manuals began to appear, including in particular unbound drawing cards. Publishers issued drawing cards in packets with specific instructions for their use. While the cards may have been used initially for home recreational purposes (for example, as a constructive Sunday activity), they soon found their way into the schools where they proved popular because of their low price point. Publishers released many many such cards on the market. However, drawing cards proved highly ephemeral. Teachers and students often made use of the cards until they lost or destroyed. The Anderson Ellis Art Education digital collection presented here preserves many of the few cards that survive.
Related Collections
- The National Art Education Association records
- Pennsylvania Art Education Association records
- Pennsylvania Alliance for Arts Education records
- Viktor Lowenfeld Papers
- Harold J. McWhinnie Papers
- Alice M. Schwartz Papers
- Dale B. Harris Papers
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