Glossy pictures
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Glossy pictures are colored images printed on paper using the chromolithography process for decorative purposes, e.g. for sticking in poetry albums or hanging on Christmas trees.
The invention and patenting of chromolithography by Godefroy Engelmann (1788-1839) led to an upswing in the production and trade of printed products. This was because posters, advertising graphics, glossy pictures, postcards, reproductions of popular paintings, etc. could now be produced in long runs and at low cost.
One industry that benefited from this was printers of collectible pictures, which were enclosed with certain products and soon became sought-after collectible and trade pictures, for which separate albums were produced.
Glossy pictures usually feature romantic depictions, often based on festive themes. One also often finds animal and flower motifs, angels, lucky charms, elves and fairies. Sometimes the glossy pictures are also additionally provided with glitter.
The collecting of the glossy pictures reached its peak in Germany and Austria between 1880 and 1910.
At the end of the 1970s/beginning of the 1980s, poetry albums were "in" at our school (we were about 10-12 years old) - with glossy pictures, of course. By the way, not only girls had poetry albums, but also some boys.
