
This set really lives up to its name, and it must be said that the cards are as beautiful as the ladies. However, it was chosen because there is a very wistful expression on the face of the lady in the frame as she looks down at her homeland - and, tellingly, when the card was issued, in 1887, it was amidst a great exodus from Italy to other countries, some thirteen million people choosing, quite voluntarily, to migrate. As for why, strangely, it was not persecution on any grounds, simply that they were impoverished and believed that life might be better on other shores.
This mass relocation started in 1880, and grew steadily larger until almost a million were leaving every year - and it only ended with the First World War, though it may be more the case that the Italian government had a bit more to do after that than sit and record the data of people who simply went away peacefully.
Most of these Italians went to America, and made families that may have interbred but in which the Italian genetics remain still strong today. Many singers and actors have Italian heritage, and most can trace it down to someone who migrated at this time.
You can imagine the allure of America, but this was not the Country which took in most Italians, that honour goes, oddly, to Brazil and to Argentina, which is another reason for us to use this card.
This is a six part set, and the other cards are :
- L`Egypte [Egypt] - this being an ancient beauty, possibly Cleopatra?
- Espagne [Spain]
- Italie [Italy]
- Le Japon [Japan]
- Russie [Russia]
- Le Tyrol [Tyrol, Austria]
Curiously, it seems only to have been issued in two of these countries, France (which is where our example comes from), and Spain (which is very scarce). This may be explained by the fact that Japan, Russia, and Egypt were not customers of Liebig, but we know that cards were issued in Italy, and Germany, if not Austro-Hungary, which was where the Tyrol was at that time located.
We can perhaps explain the use of Japan though, because in the preceding years there had been a big trend towards collecting and admiring Japanese objects and ways of life, which had started in the 1870s. In fact, Liebig issued several sets featuring Japan.