INDOCHINA INDOCHINA 
Black and white in color
Color appeared very early on postcards, well before 1904. It was not only the title or the borders that were colored, but the entire view of the card. This was a true visual revolution for the time, offering recipients a much more vivid and immersive experience than traditional black-and-white cards. Yet, despite this initial rise, the use of color did not continue systematically, and black and white remained predominant for many years..
Why was this transition not more pronounced ? Several factors can explain this resistance to change. One of the main reasons lies in the high cost of color printing processes, which limited the use of color maps to the most popular formats or special occasions. The quality/price ratio was not always favorable. The technical processes of the time, although rapidly developing, were not as accessible and efficient as they are today. Higher production costs forced publishers to favor black-and-white maps, which were much cheaper, while still maintaining an image quality that was perfectly acceptable for the public..
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Thus, although color postcards initially generated enthusiasm, black and white remained the standard for several decades. But what did consumers of the time think ? What were their impressions of color postcards before 1940 ? Was the appeal of novelty and variety enough to justify the adoption of colored cards, or did the charm of black and white maintain a certain allure for the public ?
As part of his research, Cartacaro strives to gather studies on the coloring techniques used, to understand why black and white persisted for so long as the preferred choice, and to collect the opinions of clients at the time regarding color postcards. If you have resources, testimonies, or impressions to share on this subject, please do not hesitate to pass them on to Cartacaro. We would be delighted to publish your contributions to enrich this collective reflection and better understand the dynamics that have marked the history of the postcard.
