Saturday, June 29, 2013

Renoir's Visit to Guernsey Stamp



The French Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir visited Guernsey in the summer of 1883 and painted about fifteen pictures there. This maximum card was issued by the Guernsey Post Office. The card reproduces one stamp in the set of five Renoir paintings released to commemorate the Centenary of Renoir's visit to Guernsey. The issue date was September 6, 1983. The other four stamps in the set are a squarish shape and feature landscapes. 

The original of this Children on the Seashore painting is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 


This is a post for Sunday Stamps at Viridian's Postcard Blog


11 comments:

  1. The painting gives a wonderful impression of sunlight. Guernsey have a great tradition of painted stamps.

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  2. That's a beauty. This is the second post where I've seen the stamp and franking on the same side as the picture; as the postcard expert, can you tell me if this is usual? I've never seen it before.

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    1. This is a maximum card--meaning the stamp and card image are related, though not necessarily the same. Most maximum cards are cancelled on the first day of issue of the stamp. Some maximum cards are offered by the country's postal service (like this one)and sold to collectors. Some are made by individual collectors who buy the cards and send them or take them to the location where the first day cancels are applied.

      On old cards of the early 20th century, regular stamps were sometimes placed on the picture side because some collectors preferred that. This was mainly popular in France. Many old French postcards have the stamp on the picture side.

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  3. I have been to the MFA ( not lately, it is true) and I don't remember this painting! It is beautiful. Thank you for joining us this week.

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    1. I haven't been there since the late 1960s. I don't remember what I saw there, but I still have the postcards I bought there--including one of this painting. Actually I have two postcards of this painting, so it must have been a favorite.

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  4. Very nice maxicard. Are there more to share :) I would love to see more!

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    1. I don't have any other maxicards with the Renoir paintings.

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  5. A maxi card that all collectors would like.

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  6. Great maxi-card! In fact a painting like this is the perfect subject for a maxi-card.

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  7. I have that card, but not as a maxi-card, unfortunately.

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