Engraved Stamp Beauties

[Eli]

As I have written earlier, from 1966 until 1992, Czechoslovakia issued each year in each November a set of 3-5 art stamps shows artworks from different Czechoslovakian galleries. The following set, issued on November 2, 1992, is the last one issued in this long series of 126 art stamps and complete the sequence of posts I started on October 4, 2020 (page 81 of this thread) showing all of them.

The Old Raftsman, by Koloman Sokol (1902 – 2003), Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava, engraved by Josef Herčík:

Still Life with Grapes, by Georges Braque (1882 – 1963), National Gallery, Prague, engraved by Bedřich Housa:

Abandonned, by Toyen (born Marie Čermínová 1902 – 1980), National Gallery, Prague, engraved by Bedřich Housa:

In January 1993, Czechoslovakia split into the two states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both states continue with the tradition of issuing engraved stamps show artworks from different galleries in each November of each year. The stamps are same size and same format like the stamps issued by Czechoslovakia.

[Eli]

After Czechoslovakia, our next tour will be to Italy which issued great engraved stamps including art stamps. In this post and the next posts I will post several of them. Let's start with two art stamps from the 1970's:

St John the Baptist (Youth with Ram), by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571 - 1610), engraved by Vittorio Nicastro and issued on September 28, 1973:

Portrait of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), engraved by Mario Colombati and issued on November 25, 1960 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the death of the artist:

Artist and model, by Armando Spadini (1883 - 1925), engraved by Tullio Mele and issued on June 18, 1975:

[Eli]

We all know the Italy set of definitive stamps show Biblical figures from the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo (1475 - 1564). It contains 19 stamps in which only the four high values are engraved. The set was issued on March 6, 1961. Here are the engraved stamps of them:

The Ignudi, engraved by Eros Donnini:

Adam, engraved by Mario Colombati:

Eve, engraved by Vittorio Nicastro:

One of the stamps shows portrait of Michelangelo by the Italian painter Daniele da Volterra (1509 – 1566), engraved by Alceo Quieti:

The rest of the stamps in the set are not engraved:

[RogerE]

An attractive set, thanks Eli. Of the four engraved high values,
I really like the top three — beautiful! For me, the fourth, Michaelangelo,
does not portray him nearly as attractively as the painting you show.

/RogerE

[Eli]

An attractive set, thanks Eli. Of the four engraved high values,
I really like the top three — beautiful! For me, the fourth, Michaelangelo,
does not portray him nearly as attractively as the painting you show.

/RogerE

Thanks, Roger! Glad you like the stamps. I am with you about the Michelangelo stamp. Its very difficult to copy exactly painting to tiny stamp. If you look carefully on the Caravaggio stamp I posted above (Boy with Ram) you will notice that in the original painting the boy looks happy while on the stamp he looks little sad (or less happy )

[honza]

Ahoj everyone!

Perhaps Caravaggio's boy looks less happy om the stamp because he has been demasculated.

Meanwhile here is a beautiful recent issue from the Czech Republic.

Czech Republic Postage Stamp, E denomination, Prague Castle, issued 25th November 2020.

Cheers,

Honza

[RogerE]

Thanks honza, a beauty!

/RogerE

[Eli]

Haha, Honza!!! I didn't notice that! Maybe I becoming too old!!!
Thanks for the Czech great engraved stamp of Prague Castle. I was fortunate to receive it on cover with tab which is also engraved:

I so glad the Czech Republic still keep the old tradition of engraved stamps!! They are all great!

[RogerE]

Eli, it looks like thr postal handlers did follow the request "Please DON'T BEND",
but didn't mind writing 1104/261 in textacolour on the stamp in the top corner...

On your behalf, I feel some annoyance and some disappointment at that...

/RogerE

[Eli]

Eli, it looks like thr postal handlers did follow the request "Please DON'T BEND",
but didn't mind writing 1104/261 in textacolour on the stamp in the top corner...

On your behalf, I feel some annoyance and some disappointment at that...

/RogerE

Thanks, Roger! It is not the first time they are acting like this. They ruined many stamps and I don't understand why, because there is an empty area on the covers they can apply their notices. Maybe they don't see a lot of stamped covers and don't think its important to us.

Two more Art stamps from Italy, both engraved by Tullio Mele and issued on July 12, 1978:

The Cook, by Bernardo Strozzi (1581 - 1644):

L'edera (The Ivy), by Tranquillo Cremona (1837 - 1878):

[Eli]

We are still in Italy with a set of two art stamps, both engraved by Valerio Puliti and issued on November 3, 1982:

The Fortune Teller, by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1682 or 1683 – 1754):

Portrait of Antoniet Negroni Prati Morosini as child, by Francesco Hayez (1791 – 1882):
Antoniet was the eldest daughter of Giuseppina Negroni Prati Morosini, a friend of Hayez

[Eli]

More Italian beauty - a set of two art stamps, both engraved by Tullio Mele and issued on February 15, 1979:

Italian Rural Landscape, by Ardengo Soffici (1879 – 1964):

Virgin Annunciate, by Antonello da Messina (c. 1430 – 1479):

The Virgin Annunciate is a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Antonello da Messina, housed in the Palazzo Abatellis, Palermo, region of Sicily, Italy. Probably painted in Sicily in 1476, it shows Mary interrupted at her reading by the Angel of the Annunciation:

[Eli]

Two allegorical figures on art stamps issued by Italy on September 5, 1977:

Justice, by Andrea de Litio (XV Century, active 1442 - 1473), engraved by Tullio Mele:

Winter, by Giuseppe Arcimboldi (1526 or 1527 – 1593), engraved by Alceo Quieti:

The above allegorical painting by Arcimboldi is one of a set of four paintings show the four seasons: (from left) Winter, Autumn, Summer and Spring:

[Eli]

Still in Italy... a set of two art stamps, both engraved by Tullio Mele and issued on September 7, 1981:

Harbor in early morning, by Carlo Carra (1881-1966):

Evening (Sera di Festa), by Giuseppe Ugonia (1881-1944):

[RogerE]

Thanks Eli. I particularly like Sera di Festa — Evening, by Giuseppe Ugonia (1881-1944).
Its management of light and contrasting darkness is brilliant.

/RogerE