It may be that times of rapid change are marked also by nostalgia for the sights and patterns of life that are vanishing.
In the early 20th century, as rural life and agricultural-based economies were being subsumed by commerce and industry located in towns and cities, rustic scenes were enormously popular.
This example of postcard art features the painting of an isolated country cottage overshadowed by sheltering trees.
Near the cottage is a still pond; beyond, the fields and woods stretch into the distance.
The scene is entitled, “The Old Homestead”, and it still evokes a strong sense of peace, self-sufficiency, and contentment.
The postcard was published as an advertising supplement of the Sunday New York American and Journal.
On the face of the postcard is a printed indication that the illustration was copyrighted by the American-Journal-Examiner in 1906.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Randolph-Hearst
At the bottom of the print, however, is a second copyright inscription, but I cannot distinguish it.
Other postcard prints of the publishing empire of William Randolph Hearst have included a copyright by the lithographer or art printer.
We have seen other examples of postcard art distributed by newspapers:
This postcard was not mailed, but appears to have been collected and preserved by a reader of the newspaper more than a century ago.
