Nobles playing cards. c. 1370-1420The cards produced for nobles were often hand-painted, extravagantly crafted works of art, while the cards used by common people were rough, quickly manufactured, and were produced by either stenciling or xylography. In fact, cards and pocket-sized devotional figures were the first printed objects we have found in Europe. In many cases, the people who created cards were also the ones who created figures of saints and other venerated individuals.