Dutch Postcards: Coloring


Figure 1.--This Dutch post card was postally used in 1926. Note that the boy wears short pants rather than kneepants. The image shows thatwhite kneesocks were being worn in the 1920s. We doubt though if many Dutch boys wore bright yellow shorts.

Post cards were most popular before color lithography had been perfected. As a result, most were based on black and white photograohs that has color painted on. The colors involved in the Dutch postcards are somewhat less fanciful than those seen in Belgium and France at the time, but we have also noted rather fanciful colors. We believe in fact that the colors may be some of the least reliable information from these cards. Some of the Dutch cards seem to have colors that boys may have actually worn. On the other hand, many of the color combinations also seem more artistic inventions rather than colors that older boys would have worn. Bright colors like yellow, orange, and red were probably not worn by school-age Dutch boys I am also not positive that the color combinations shown were the ones that would have actually been worn by a Dutch boy. Hopefully our Dutch readers will provide some insights here.

Colorization

There were no color photographic systems that coild be easily used in the earky 29th century. Post cards were most popular before color lithography had been perfected. As a result, most were based on blsck and white photograohs that has color painted on.

Dutch cards

The colors involved in the Dutch postcards seem somewhat less fanciful than those seen in Belgium and France at the time. This is our initial impression, but it has to be confirmed as we acquire more information about Dutch post cards.

Fanciful Colors

We have also noted rather fanciful colors. We believe in fact that the colors may be some of the least reliable information from these cards. Indeed some of the colorization makes no effort to be realistic, but simply pour on bright colors. Bright colors like yellow, orange, and red were probably not worn by school-age Dutch boys. Some of the cplorization like the card on this page is very carefully done. We are doubtful, however, that voys in 1929 wore yellow short pants.

Combinations

Some of the post card colorization is more artisically done. The corization may be intricately applied, but the colors combimations do not seem to be colors in which boys' outfits may have been done. I am also not positive that the color combinations shown were the ones that would have actually been worn by a Dutch boy.

Realistic colors

Some of the Dutch cards seem to have colors that boys may have actually worn. On the other hand, many of the color combinations also seem more artistic inventions rather than colors that older boys would have worn.







Christopher Wagner






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Created: October 1, 2001
Last updated: October 3, 2001