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 with the bilingual caption «Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη» / "Bibliothèque Nationale" (National Library) is a publication issued in Athens, as inferred from the back/verso side where "Ekdotai – P. Kosmetatos & Sia – Athinai" is written. This particular postcard depicts the National Library of Greece, which was housed in the "Vallianeio" Hall from March 1903 until 2017. The building's construction was funded by the Vallianos brothers —Panagis, Marinos and Andreas— hence its name. It was designed by the Danish architect Theophilus Hansen, who had also undertaken the design of the Academy in 1859 (see related postcard). The foundation of the building was laid in March 1888. It is part of a series of neoclassical buildings constructed in the city center. Today, the collection and reading room for historical newspapers are housed there.

This photograph is slightly 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 the dispatch details, along with a field for affixing the postage stamp.

The text is written in French and is intended for delivery to the Lisieux community, in the region of Normandy, in northwestern France. Based on the handwritten text, the postcard was sent in the year 1907, while the recto side bears the inscription "Athènes" (Athens). This detail, combined with the Greek postage stamp on the front, leads us to assume that the postcard was sent from Athens. The postage stamp on the recto cost 3 cents. The written message is remarkably short, highlighting the image’s ability to convey the message on its own.

Research and text: Dora Spetsiotou1