Love this 1911 Thanksgiving Harvest postcard by Ellen Clapsaddle. Many of her designs feature cherubic children and animals. This one has a serene landscape showing a farmer returning home after a day in the fields.
Who was the artist?
There doesn’t appear to be a great deal written about the life of Ellen Clapsaddle (1865-1934). She was born in New York, educated there and spent most of her adult life there. Clapsaddle spent time in Germany, working with the company who published many of her designs, and might have owned a stake in that firm. She was one of the most prolific artists of post cards during a time referred to as the Golden Age of Postcards.
Her work was popular, estimates say her designs appeared on 1/2 a billion postcards. The good news is that they were so lovely, that many collectors have preserved her cards and new generations can enjoy her work.
Love for Thanksgiving
Among the vintage Thanksgiving postcards by Ellen Clapsaddle that I’ve shared with you here on Reusable Art; this one has the what may be the most heart-felt message. No sweet-faced children here. But, there’s a peaceful sunset landscape of a farm. A while house, red barn and a newly cut hayfield surround a farmer sitting high upon the hay wagon returning home. Distant mountains and trees complete the scene. Golden wheat stalks frame the landscape.
The message appearing on this Thanksgiving Harvest greeting is:
For love present, ills past-
and good to come, may our hearts
rejoice this Thanksgiving Day.May your joys be as countless
As the golden grains.
Like so many of these wonderful Clapsaddle holiday cards, I can share with you a fairly large image. Simply click on the picture shown above and you can view the full-sized version of this Thanksgiving Harvest postcard.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
