Tamzin Phoenix		Venice at Dawn by Timothy Easton

Over the last couple of years at The Bridgeman Art Library we are finding that the heyday of The Impressionists or Pre-Raphaelites greeting card is being replaced by new and exciting trends.  One is the more contemporary, colourful and vibrant image such as works by the German expressionists; another draws on different cultures, such as Chinese art; yet another strand is very artistic painterly images that have an atmospheric quality.

We also have a collection of exceptional Contemporary Artists that we represent here at The Bridgeman Art Library.  Many seem to evoke what our clients are looking for, with three featuring in our top five most popular images for the sector.

Two lively examples are Venice at Dawn by Timothy Easton and Skiing by Margaret Loxton.

Skiing by Margaret Loxton		Bulls at Balmoral, 1988 by Tim Scott Bolton

WH Smith has also recently licensed a Britain in Art Calendar for 2008, sourced entirely from our Contemporary Artists.  It is a superb selection representing Britain, including Bulls at Balmoral by Tim Scott Bolton. The added benefit is that we also clear copyright, making images much easier to license.  Five years ago, the equivalent was Victorian artists such as Frederic Leighton.

Bee and peony by Icimiosai (19th century)		Angel, from the 'Coronation of the Virgin' c.1488-90 by Sandro Botticelli

There has also been a strong interest in Japanese art.  A charming bee and peony ink on paper by Ichimoisai has been our fourth best seller. Five years ago, the corresponding fourth place was held by a modern beach scene.  The demand for beach scenes of all sorts has recently dwindled.

Meanwhile, the Christmas market has tended to reclaim some of the more traditional imagery.  Modern Christmas images are still going from strength to strength, but a noticeable demand has come for more religious art  - albeit this time it is often for very beautiful and arresting images of angels.  This underlines the last few years when angels in every context have been flavour of the month.

It’s an exciting time for the representation of art in cards.  More and more artists are making their work available, and the consumer knows much more about art these days and enjoys choosing from a wide range of art.