Cameroun: Christmas 1972

 

Cameroun (Cameroon) issued this stamp as part of a set of 2 for Christmas in 1972. Both show paintings of Mary, mother of Jesus. Both are airmail stamps. The 45-franc stamp is a painting by Cimabue. This stamp shows "The Virgin of the Rose Arbor," by Stefan Lochner. There is an angel playing a small portatif organ in the LL corner. Other angels playing other instruments are seated around the blue-robed Madonna. Scott #C194 was issued December 21, 1972. My copy is unused.

France: Daumier painting

The date of this cover is 23 March 1967. The stamps are fairly common for the era, and the postmark is unremarkable. The cachet, however features a positif organ in a painting by Honore Daumier. The reverse of the cover has this to say about Daumier and the painting.

Honore Daumier est ne a marseille ie 26 fevrier 1803. Son pere etait vitrier mais, so croyant poete, il abandonne en 1814 sa boutique pour monter a Paris. Deux ans plus tard, il fait venir sa femme et son fils. A 13 ans honore travaille chez un huissier puis devient commis dans une librairie du Palais Royal. Mais il est instable et prefere le dessin. Il parcourt le sues de paris, frequente les artistes de l'epoque et s'enflamme pour les idees republicans. En 1830 Louis Philippe prend le pouvoir et Daumier commence ses dessins satiriques. Il fait un Gargantua representant Louis Philippe gave et distribuant autour de lui des profits et des decorations. Cela lui rapporte 300 francs d'amende et six moin de prison. En 1835 les lois deseptembre, severes pour la presse, l'obligent a suspendre ses dessins politiques et a produire quantite de lithos "sujets de moeurs," pour pouvoir vivre. En 1845 il s'installe dans l'ile Saint-Louise, se met a peindre et a sculpter. Puis, en 1865, a Montmartre, il continue a dessiner pour la presse mais, mal pae, vit peniblement. A 65 ans, il loue une maiconnette a Valmondoins, Menace de padre la vue, il se troupe dans une situation difficile. C'est grace a la generosite de ses amis qu'il peut demeurer dans son lieu de repli. (Corot avait achete la maison et lui en avait fait cadeau pour sa fete.) En 1877 le gouvernement lui accorde une pension de 100 frances par mois, portee a 200 frances l'annee suivante. Daumier neurt a valmondoi . Son corps est transfere au Pere Lachaise en avril. Le timbre reproduit une peinture datant de 1860 set se trouvant au Musee du Louvre. On connait de lui d'innombrables lithographies et peintures, dans de nombreux musees du monde.

Honore Daumier was born in Marseille on February 26, 1803. His father was a glazier but, being a poet, he left his shop in 1814 to go to Paris. Two years later, he brings his wife and son. A 13-year-old honore works at a bailiff and then becomes a clerk in a bookstore in the Royal Palace. But he is unstable and prefers drawing. He travels the sweats of Paris, frequents the artists of the time and ignites for the republican ideas. In 1830 Louis Philippe took power and Daumier began his satirical drawings. He makes a Gargantua representing Louis Philippe gave and distributing around him profits and decorations. That brings him a fine of 300 francs and six months of imprisonment. In 1835 the laws of September, severe for the press, forced him to suspend his political drawings and to produce a quantity of lithos "subjects of morals," to be able to live. In 1845 he moved to Ile Saint-Louise, began to paint and carve. Then, in 1865, in Montmartre, he continues to draw for the press but, badly, lives painfully. At the age of 65, he rents a scrap at Valmondoins, threatens his view, he finds himself in a difficult situation. It is thanks to the generosity of his friends that he can remain in his place of withdrawal. (Corot bought the house and gave it to him for his birthday.) In 1877 the government gave him a pension of 100 francs a month, raised to 200 francs the following year. Daumier neurt a valmondoi. His body is transferred to Pere Lachaise in April. The stamp reproduces a painting dating from 1860 set at the Louvre Museum. He is known for countless lithographs and paintings in many museums around the world.

Most sources indicate Daumier painted "The organ player of Barbary" around 1864-1865. The painting is now in the possession of the Musee Petit-Palais in Paris, France. 

The "arms of Auch" stamp (Scott 1142) was issued in 1966. The Marianne type stamp (Scott 653) was issued in 1951. So it would seem the date of the cover is not related to the issuance of either stamp. Above the cachet the the FDC indication along with "No. 586 Historique FDC. And overprinted atop that is the single word, "Imprime." A circular red mark at the bottom of the cover reiterates that same information with what may be the printer's insignia; it's not quite legible to me. The date of the postmark seems to correlate to neither the painter's birth nor death dates. So the "why" of this cover remains a bit of a mystery to me. My cover was a gift from Mark Jameson who for several years has been associated with the Berkshire Organ Club, which explains that notation on the reverse. It would seem that at some point it passed through the hands of the Empire Philatelic shop in Paris.

Paraguay: Christmas, 1975

The South American nation of Paraguay issued a set of 8 stamps in 1975 for Christmas, showing various paintings related to the season. The stamps are generally collected as an attached set (Scott 1547, a-h), which is what I have. However that strip is rather tall, and doesn't fit into standard binders such as those I use for my collection. Therefore mine is generally folded twice to fit into storage. Though they are on the same sheet of stamps, and strip, each of the 8 stamps is differently denominated, 5c through 50c. There is also a souvenir sheet of a single stamp (Scott 1548). The 15c stamp is a painting by Hans Memling showing the mother of Jesus surrounded by angels in white attire. One of the angels is playing a portatif organ. Memling's painting now is part of the collection at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Germany.

 

Panama: Music paintings

The central American nation of Panama issued a set of 6 stamps in 1968 depicting paintings of musicians and musical instruments. They were issued as a sheet of 6 (Scott 488, a, b, c, d, e, f). There was also issued a souvenir sheet (Scott 488A) of a single stamp ("Harp" by Memling). I have the set of 6 stamps, unattached. This painting, "Allegory of Music," was painted by Laurent de la Hyre in 1649 for a home in Paris. It now is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, USA. The central portion of the painting (oil on canvas) is the allegorical figure of Music tuning a theorbo. Various other instruments are included, and musical scores. In the background is a portion of an organ facade. This was one of a set of seven paintings of the Liberal Arts executed by de la Hyre.

Niue: Christmas, 1979

Niue is an island nation located somewhat near New Zealand in the South Pacific. That nation issued a set of four stamps for Christmas in 1979 featuring various paintings (Scott 258-261). They also issued a set of 4 semi-postal mini-sheets (Scott B12-B15) of a single stamp each, of the same designs as the regular postage stamps. While the regular postage stamps show a portion of the original paintings, the mini-sheets depict the entire painting. The regular postage stamps are variously denominated (20c, 25c, 30c, 50c) but the semi-postals are all denominated 85c + 5c. The low value stamp show a painting by Pere Serra, Virgin and Child ("Virgin of Tortosa"); the corresponding semi-postal shows the whole painting when the selvage is accounted. In the LL is an angel playing a portatif organ. This painting (tempura and gold leaf on wood), now in the Catalonian National Museum of Art, was presumably part of an altarpiece created for the Tortosa Cathedral in the late 14th century. In cathedral architecture at the east end of the building one often finds an apse; very often it is possible to circumnavigate the chancel area via an ambulatory, the perimeter of the apse. Too one might find attached to that ambulatory any number of chapel areas. Museum curators believe this piece was for one such chapel at Tortosa. In additional to the organ-playing angel, others play two lute-type instruments, a lyre, a harp, and a flute.

Kyrgyzstan: Paintings, 2003

This mini-sheet of six stamps was issued in 2003 by Kyrgyzstan. It features classic paintings. My version is imperforate. The UR stamp is a famous painting by Titian which includes an organ. This sheet is not included in Scott, and I cannot find it among my usual sources. It may be that it was not an official issue. I found other "wall-paper" type issues (pop stars, sports stars) at one of the sites.

Venezuela, Christmas angels

Venezuela issued this stamp in 1967 as part of a set for Christmas. It features a reproduction of Stephan Lochner's La Virgen del Rosal (Virgin in a rose arbor). The original painting hangs in the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Cologne, Germany. Painted in 1450, it is a small work, suited for personal or home devotional use. Angels surround the central figure, and each holding musical instruments. Almost obscured by the denomination, the angel at LL is holding a portativ. This angel and its instrument are quite clear in the image of the original painting. This stamp (Scot C976) was for airmail postage.

Aitutaki: Christmas, angels

The island nation of Aitutaki (part of the Cook Island archipelago in the South Pacific) issued a set of 8 stamps in 1994 for Christmas featuring various religious paintings. Two sets of four stamps were denominated 85c and 90c. They featured various representations of the birth of Jesus: Mary, magi, angels, etc. These stamps saw little postal use and are generally collected as attached blocks of four stamps. On the 85c block, the UR stamp (Scott 508b) shows angels on the perimeter, holding musical instruments. One of the angels is holding a portativ organ. Memling painted several versions of the nativity story on various commissions. This particular painting is known as the Donne Triptych and is at the National Gallery, London, UK. It was completed in 1478.

Bach portrait

 

This image of JS Bach at an organ console is rather famous in some circles. It's unique for it shows the composer seated at an organ console. We gain insight into the attire one might wear whilst playing during this era, something about the console layout, etc. Details about the image are scarce however. All I have been able to determine is that the Getty image most often encountered is based on a print of perhaps 1725 found now in the British Museum. One colleague suggested that the basis of the print may be the console of the organ in the New Church, Arnstadt.

This picture has been used in several stamp images over the years, sometimes black&white, sometimes colorized, sometimes reversed, etc. I also recently encountered this image, similar but slightly different. I wonder if the two images are related somehow.

 

(The image has also been satirized in various ways. It's such a fascinating image that it's a shame we don't know more about the details.)

 

  

Rwanda: "Angels' concert" painting

The African nation Rwanda issued this stamp in 1969 as part of a set of stamps depicting art work with a musical theme. There are 8 stamps in the set including two air mail stamps, but not including two high-value mini-sheets. Other instruments depicted in the paintings shown on these stamps, aside from singers, are a lute, a fife and a piano. This stamp (Scott 281) showing St Cecilia playing an organ is the low value stamp in the set. (This was actually one of the first stamps I ever collected, long before I started playing organ, or focusing my collecting on organ stamps.) Two other angels are playing a harp and a lute in the painting depicted on the present stamp.

The image for the stamp is taken from the Ghent Altarpiece by Hubert van Eyck and his younger brother Jan van Eyck. The younger van Eyck is believed to have completed the work based on his brother's design between 1430 and 1432. The larger work consists of 12 panels, 5 above and 7 below. They together constitute a scene of adoration of the Lamb of God. There are actually two "musical" panels in the upper portion of the altarpiece. The second shows a group of angels singing. The work remains sited in the building for which it was intended: St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent. Van Eyck has included a great deal of detail in his rendering of the positif organ. The keys are remarkably clear, and light reflects from the metal pipes.