The modern practice of sending postcards dates back to 1865. They were first introduced by a German post office director who recognised that modern communication habits required a faster and more simple medium than traditional letter writing. The first postcard sent in Austria was posted in 1869, and from then until the advent of the SMS and social networking, postcards were commonly used to allow travellers to send home a few lines describing a holiday or a visit to an interesting place. Postcards, which, at first, were just made of plain card, soon developed into the colourful illustrated format and were sometimes even designed by famous artists. The Gaetano Sessa collection includes around 2000 postcards. The collection is invaluable in allowing us to catch a glimpse of everyday life in Bolzano in a bygone age.
