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Category: Prints

Crop of color lithograph shows woman sitting in early car. Two men stand near her, and a city view is visible in the background.

Cold Weather Fashions in Print

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Popular graphic art prints often reflect the tastes of their times, and fashion trends are one particularly fascinating area to survey. As we find ourselves ensconced in the fall season and quickly approaching winter, we were inspired to look for cold weather fashions in print. Join us as we look at details from one print.

Colorful postcard shows Southern Pacific Railroad car carrying larger-than-life lemon with printed Chinese or Japanese characters translated as January 1, New Year.

Finding Pictures: Postcards – Wish You Were Here!

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Sample some images from the Library of Congress postcard collections in this post as we prepare to host a webinar on April 16 featuring a broad selection of postcards from the late 19th century forward. We hope this quick introduction will encourage you to watch the live event – or listen to the recording if you aren’t able to make it!

Color lithographic print shows chocolates artfully placed on top of silver stand, with box of chocolates to the left and a picture of a woman's profile on the front.

Ready for Research: Announcing New Collections and Additional Digital Images

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

The following is a guest post by Helena Zinkham, Chief, Prints & Photographs Division. Our talented teams in the Prints & Photographs Division (P&P) organized and described 250,000 pictures during the past year. The processing teams completed several new collections for you to enjoy from a distance or examine in person, and digitization staff added some …

Triptych woodcut scene features snowy landscape and two figures on each side of the image.

Wintry Weather Wishes

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Although Washington, D.C. has seen little icy precipitation this year, the past weekend’s official turn to winter has turned my mind toward the possibility of snow this season. Enjoy these 19th-century woodcuts, with hopes that wherever you are these beautiful images will bring you some peace. Learn More: Explore additional Picture This blog posts featuring …

Black-and-white photo of car from 1910s driving on mountain dirt road with view of snow-capped mountain in the backgroudn.

Finding Pictures: Automobiles

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Let Prints & Photographs Division Reference Librarian Gillian Mahoney take you for a four-wheeled tour of car-related images from the collections this Wednesday, November 20 at 3:00pm EST. Explaining her interest in P&P’s extensive pictorial representation of cars, Gillian notes that, “images of cars in our catalog offer a fascinating glimpse into automotive and industrial …

Black-and-white photograph shows close-up view of black kitten with arched back.

Purr-fectly Charming Black Cats

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Whether you think black cats are spooky, good luck, or simply adorable companions, the many images featuring these striking felines in the collections are evidence that photographers and other artists have found them compelling since at least the 19th century. This photograph by Arthur Rothstein highlights the tonal contrast between the cat’s dark fur and …

Color photograph shows open kitchen cupboard with four shelves containing various spices on bottom three shelves and glass dishes on the top shelf. The cabinets and walls are white.

Everything Including the Kitchen Sink

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

Many of us spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchen, a space that can serve both a utilitarian and a social function. The Prints & Photographs Division collections provide great images of kitchen spaces that highlight prepared food, architectural elements, and the labor that goes into ensuring our nourishment. The photograph below shows …