Paintings from Czech Republic

'Allegory of Water' by Jan Jakub Hartmann

Hi ! Today's Post is related with Fine Arts. The paintings depicted on these beautiful stamps have been made by famous artists of Czech Republic and are from National Art Gallery, Prague.The above miniature sheet shows painting 'Allegory of Water' by Jan Jakub Hartmann. He belongs to the painters who in the course of the second half of the 17th century specialised in landscape painting. Based on the Dutch landscape models mainly from the late 16th century, his concept of landscape painting was at his time rather archaistic. He worked together with his sons František Antonín and Václav Jan. Their paintings are not signed and were created by cooperation of all the painters. The postage stamp features a cutting of the painting Allegory of Water which is the counterpart painting of the Allegory of Earth. The paintings come from the series The Four Elements. They are painted on copper plates and belong to the best of Hartmanns' production. The scheme of the landscape on the painting Allegory of Water, based on a contrast between the darker rich forest and the lighted view of the river scene with an ample crowd broken into smaller groups, numerous ships, fish and sea fruit is at the same time an inconspicuous picture of the Biblical scene of Christ's miraculous fishing. The miniature sheet which includes this postage stamp features almost the whole painting Allegory of Water. The counterpart painting Allegory of Earth shows, in a very similar landscape, Christ meeting with Mary and Martha. Another one shown below is a painting by famous Czech painter Otakar Nejedlý who also visited India for study and besides making painting he also wrote a travel book "Painter's Wandering through Europe, Ceylon and India". Both these stamps and M/s will be issued on 5th November 2008. In our regualr series some FDCs of se-tenant stamps from the collection of our distinguished member Mr. Shrikant Parikh. Here I have created 3rd round of Poll. In last poll Festivals of India got highest number of votes. Here is another group. Vote for your favourite stamp. This is all for today.... Have a Nice Time...!

The Autumn Road by Otakar Nejedlý

Otakar Nejedlý - The landscape painter , professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, studied at F. Engelmüller's private school as well as with A. Slavíček. During his study visit to India and Ceylon he created not only paintings but also a singular travel book "Painter's Wandering through Europe, Ceylon and India". His early creation was influenced by P. Cézanne and A. Derain; during World War I he painted expressionistic scenes of French battlefields which typed the pathetic hyperbole of his later works. His creation stabilised with dark and spectacular colours and dramatic concept of Czech landscape.

A Journey through Indian Stamps - FDCs of Se-tenant Stamps

From Collection of Shrikant Parikh

Parijat Tree - 8 March 1997

Philatelic Society of India - 27 March 1997

Buddhist Cultural Sites - 6 June 1997