Galerie Zygos

The History of ATC's
Art cards or miniatures where very fashionable in the 16th century. They were mostly portraits and they were sold, not traded or given away. They were the first wallet "photos". Men would have nudes painted of their Mistresses on art cards -- usually by the same artist that would do the big family portraits of their wives... Miniature Portraits would be used for exchange when affluent people arranged marriages.

The French artists were the first to come up with advertisement on the art cards. It wasn't until the mid-1700's that the AngloSaxons picked up on the idea of using the Art cards for advertising. The Art Cards of Europe are slightly larger than American as is the European standard deck of playing cards.

During the Impressionist Age artists traded art cards among themselves to study each other's style and techniques. They also traded or sold the art cards as necessary for supplies, food and lodging

In 1887 "baseball" cards started to appear. These early cards are now very rare and it is uncertain what they were made of. During the period 1902 - 1935 baseball was in its golden years. Cards during this time were usually sold with bubble gum, chewing tobacco and cracker jacks. As they were marketed with different size products, baseball cards were different sizes and it was not until the 1960s that the modern 2.5 x 3.5 size was standardized.

Artist M. Vanci Stirnemann developed the idea of Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). He based the size of ATCs on sports trading cards. ATCs can only be traded or given away. Their purpose is to share art and to encourage creative exchange between artists.

ACEO's (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) stemmed off of ATCs, made with the intention to sell. The artist Lisa Luree started the ACEO group on eBay in part to make cards available to collectors. The reason for this is, of course, that Art Cards are made to be traded! But while artists were happily trading cards, the general public was left out in the cold, having no Art Cards to trade. A group of artists realized this, and quickly made their cards available for sale at remarkably low prices so that everyone could join in the fun!

These cards have one main rule - they are 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches - the size of a trading card.

Cards are sold either as originals or editions. Make sure you know which you are buying! If it is a print it should say so, and it should be numbered and signed, usually on the back.

Artists from all over the world are creating, and now selling these little gems in different media and of different subjects. Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic, Colored Pencil, Pastels, Pyrography, Pen and Ink, Sketching, Collage - the sky is the limit. Abstract, Surrealism, Impressionism, Expressionism -every style you can think of - and then some!. Every interest and subject is covered!

Extremely collectable Pocket Art...