Human communication has evolved through countless stages, employing a wide range of means and practices. Undoubtedly, writing—regardless of the transformations it underwent—served as a landmark in the critical process of substantiating information, a process fundamental to humanity. In the modern era, around the mid-19th century, written correspondence gained a new medium that would radically reshape the practice of sending written messages: the postcard. The unique nature of this medium lies in its printed image, which functions as an accompanying "gift" to the sender’s handwritten message. In many instances, the image itself constituted the entirety of the message, as numerous postcards were sent without any personal note. The official debut of this new medium occurred on 1 October 1869 in the newly established Austro-Hungarian Empire. Gradually, postcards achieved remarkable popularity: everybody wants to send an image they had personally picked out to a loved one. At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe was living in peace and prosperity. The "Belle Époque" was an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that were created and which evolved funneled both people and their products, tangible and intangible. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, sound recording, radio, photography, but also releases in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolved dynamically and anisotropically formed a complex network of "centers" and "peripheries" in alternating roles. It is precisely this context that allows postcards to flourish; this is their "golden age". The establishment of the "Universal Postal Union" was a catalyst for facilitating their global circulation. On October 9, 1874, the Treaty of Bern established the sending and delivery of correspondence between its members.

Continuous advancements in the technology of this new medium aimed at enhancing both its usability and appeal, in order to address it to an increasingly wider audience. The first postcards were small in size and did not contain images. Nevertheless, their convenient size, durable cardboard material, and the inclusion of the cost of postage in their purchase price were innovative features for the time that upgraded the quality of communication. One side was intended for writing the message and the other was for the dispatch details. Soon, however, the image appears, dramatically increasing their demand. The evolution of photographic technology from the 1830s onward made the "real" image sought after. Postcards make a dynamic entry into a global distribution network and serve as a catalyst in the circulation of the image, which memorializes the "local" by carrying its related social representations as far as possible. It leaves–if not seeks–space for the activation of the imaginary on the part of the recipient.

The postcard bears the bilingual caption «Μνημείον Λυσικράτους» / "MONUMENT DE LYSICRATE" (Monument of Lysicrates) and is marked with the number 5. However, the publisher is not mentioned. In this postcard, the photographer's lens focuses on one of the most popular archaeological monuments in the heart of Athens, a site of great symbolic significance, highlighting the connection between modern Greece and its ancient past. It is the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, located on Tripodon Street in the neighborhood of Plaka, which was erected by Lysicrates himself in 335-334 BCE. The monument was built to house the bronze tripod awarded to him as a prize for his role as a sponsor of the winning theatrical play at the dramatic competitions. It was the patrons of theatrical productions who received the victory trophies, which they either dedicated to the Sanctuary of Dionysus or placed along the nearby Street of the Tripods (Tripodon). To elevate and display these tripods in a grand manner, they were placed on tall, elaborate bases, as was the case with the Monument of Lysicrates. In the 17th century, the monument was incorporated into the Capuchin Monastery, which was established by French monks after they purchased a house adjacent to it. The monastery hosted notable historical figures, including Lord Byron. It was also there, in 1818, that the monk Frangiskos (François) planted the first tomato seeds in Athens. Both as an independent monument and as part of the Capuchin Monastery, the Monument of Lysicrates gained widespread recognition across Europe, largely through travel accounts and engravings (see here). During the Greek War of Independence in 1821, the monastery was set on fire, but the monument survived with minimal damage. The French government undertook its restoration, as it was considered —to some extent— its property. From 1829 onward, an intense dispute over the ownership of the monument emerged between Greece, France and other countries. Eventually, in the late 19th century, following ongoing negotiations, the French government ceded the monument to the Greek state in exchange for a plot of land where the French School of Athens was to be built —which indeed happened (see Amandry, 1997: 445-487). Today, the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates still stands in its original location, in the square that bears its name.

In this photographic capture, while the ancient monument takes center stage, the image also offers a glimpse into a different era of the surrounding neighborhood. One can observe that what is today a highly touristic and bustling square in Athens was once made up of dirt roads and buildings, likely residential, with no particularly elaborate architectural features. This was a time before the "museification" of ancient structures and the creation of distance —whether physical, temporal or intellectual— between people and these monuments. In this postcard, the Monument of Lysicrates appears as an integral part of the neighborhood —a living, functional space within the daily life of its residents. By including the man on the left side of the frame, the photographer helps the viewer grasp the scale of the Choragic Monument. Today, however, the monument is displayed fenced off from visitors. Meanwhile, the surrounding buildings have adopted a more neoclassical style, further enhancing the picturesque character of the square.

The photograph is colorized and occupies the entire front/recto side. The verso is divided vertically, with the left part reserved for the message and the right for the dispatch details. There, dashed lines are visible for filling in the address.

There is no handwritten text, only the dispatch details, which are written in French. On the recto side, there is a horizontal postmark featuring a pattern of wavy lines leading to a circular stamp containing dispatch details. Based on the postmark and handwritten text, the postcard was sent from Athens on February 15, 1914, to Paris. This is yet another instance where the image itself serves as a substitute for the sender’s message.

Research and text: Dora Spetsiotou1