Vintage postcards give us a glimpse into the past, including the evolution of fashion. This theme has made many illustrators famous, including the very talented Emilio Colombo.
A few days ago, I came across a lovely illustrated postcard. Depicting a woman dressed in a ‘Roaring Twenties’ style, I deciphered the signature and came across the name Colombo.
Emilio Colombo is a little-known Italian illustrator. There is virtually no information about him on the net. He lived and illustrated in the early 20th century and had a few favourite themes, such as young women, but also children’s scenes, animals, etc.
A witness to his era, Emilio Colombo gives us a glimpse of the fashions of the time. The women of the 1920s, wearing mid-length dresses, hats and headbands, feature prominently in his lively, colourful postcards!
With a realistic style and a fine, precise line, he has illustrated several hundred beautiful postcards. You can see a sample here, but there are several thousand for sale on www.delcampe.net, the collectors’ marketplace.
