Ars-Libellum: postcards & antique photos

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Ars-Libellum: postcards & antique photos

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♚ ♔ Ars-Libellum - Antique photos & postcards
My shop 👇 link below
From Mechelen, BE - Worldwide shipping

01/11/2026

This interior painting was painted by Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians herself in 1958, signed E 58 (lower right).

It shows a view from one of her rooms at Stuyvenberg Castle – an open garden door looking out to the green, a bookcase full of books, chairs, a plant on a pedestal, and a small religious picture on the wall.

Naive, faded colours, but completely authentic.

In 1958 she was 82 years old. Seven years before her passing, she still looked through her window with curiosity and painted what she saw – not a crown, not a palace, but her books and her garden.

Queen Elisabeth was a gifted sculptor and violinist. This painting of hers is not very beautiful in the academic sense, but it is touching and rare. A true piece of royal intimacy.

From our private collection.

#1958

31/10/2026

Hallowe'en Time - 1911

"Tonight, upon your pillow,
Close your eyes and hide your head,
For the fairies and the goblins
Will be hovering round your bed."

Design copyrighted by John Winsch, 1911. A little piece of magic, with golden fairies, a full moon, and all those watchful little goblin eyes hiding in the curtains.
Happy Halloween, dear followers.

#1911

28/10/2026

The Crown Frame 👑🐾 1860s
The most precious piece in our collection.

A gilt frame with royal crown, red velvet and 9 carte-de-visite, all signed by hand.

• Children's portraits and Nano the dog signed by Queen Marie Henriette herself: "Leopold né 1859", "Louise née 1858", "Nano."

A mother noting her children and her dog with the same love. Nano belonged to the family, right there in the royal frame.

• Leopold's portraits signed by Leopold himself: "1869. Leopold D. de B."

28/10/2026

SQUIB - The Queen's Tiny Terrier. Identified. 👑🐾
Ghémar Frères, Bruxelles 1869

From my collection, a cdv of the beloved dog of Queen Marie Henriette.

The same dog the Queen painted herself among roses in 1863 (retouché 1872).

His story, told by their daughter Princess Louise of Belgium in My Own Affairs:
"Sometimes he [King Leopold II] escorted the Queen to Divine Service, taking with him 'Squib,' a tiny terrier of which the Queen was very fond... It was a sight to see the big man holding the tiny dog under his arm - the little animal too terrified to move. When Mass was over, the King... would gravely deposit the little dog on the Queen's knee."

27/10/2026

To my sweetest Vesa - as a keepsake from Gane as your fiancée.
Popovo, 23 October 1941.
Photographer Rashevi, Sofia.

A lovestory, not only written with ink alone, but also shown with a photograph. In the middle of a world at war, they found a moment to say: remember me, love me. 85 years later, her dress still blooms.

24/10/2026

Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians 🤍

Collecting her memory since 1991. Silver frame with E & crown, pearls, opera glasses & white tulips with a Belgian ribbon. Forever elegant. Forever Elisabeth. 👑

22/10/2026

Dandy's captured at the height of the carte de visite era. c. 1870s.
Photographed by G. Antony, Liège - Luik and J. Dupont, Anvers - Antwerp. Note the perfect staging of bourgeois elegance and sophistication: top hat in hand or nearby, with or without walking cane, balloon chair or richly carved Renaissance Revival cabinet. Note their impressive and magnificent curled moustache. The carte de visite, almost theatre, was not just a portrait, but a social calling card, a status symbol.

21/10/2026

Anonymous photographer, c. 1920s.

One man, two selves.
Himself, reclining on a patterned coverlet, pipe in hand. And his reflection, keeping him company in the mirror.
Afternoon sun on striped walls, flowers fading on a small table, a newspaper unread.

It is not loneliness. It is a moment so tender, he doubled himself just to hold it a little longer.

21/10/2026

CDV photo by photographer Terrisse Père & Fils, Lyon. c. 1870s.

He looks away, as if someone just called his name from another room.
Not posing, but waiting to be remembered.

A portrait that survived time.

victorianromance tintedbymetime

19/10/2026

Cdv's from one album, 1860s, family Lamarcke, Brussels.

Adres

Mechelen
2800

Website

https://tinyurl.com/Ars-Libellum-winkel

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