Those who have read or watched the movie version of Bret Easton Ellis’ “American Psycho” have likely never looked at business cards quite the same. But Patrick Bateman is only a blip in the evolutionary timeline of the business card.

Business cards actually owe their origins to 15th century China, where the cards were used as formal announcements for royal visits. They were (and still are) presented with two hands.

Since then, the card has evolved immensely, and some may argue that with smartphones they’ve become obsolete. But thanks to this lovely infographic we can see exactly how the business card has come to be:



(via Daily Infographic)