The Adoration Of The Kings – Grenada

The Postcard reproduces “The adoration of the Kings”, otherwise also known as “The Three Wise men”. This theme is probably one of the most common ones, commissioned by the church to many different authors throughout the centuries. The event is first described in Matthew 2:11, and in the Catholic traditions is marked but the festivity of the Epiphany (6 January), where presents were actually exchanged (and not during Christmas as in Orthodox traditions) to commemorate the gifts brought by the three Kings.

Here the author is unknown, possibly Zanobi Strozzi (17 November 1412 – 6 December 1468), Italian Painter and Manuscript Illuminator. He was a member of the illustrious Strozzi family in Florence and is described by Vasari as one of the top pupils of Beato Angelico. The Painting showing one of the Kings kissing the feet of the Child Jesus and the other two bringing gifts to Joseph, is currently kept in Room A of the National Gallery in London.

The stamp has been issued by the state of Grenada and the Grenadines in the Lesser Antilles, commemorating Christmas. The Emission consists of 7 stamps with different subjects and values, grouped in a sheet.

The postcard itself is valuable since it is an original print of the museum, identified on the back with serial number, on good quality paper for a commercial postcard and printed in offset.

By Contrast the stamp is less expensive, dentation 14, it too printed in flat-offset matrix, part of a series of 7 stamps reproducing Renaissance paintings. Albeit of fairly high value, the composition is of medium-low quality graphics and the canvas was only partially reproduced by making a smaller copy with a yellow background and two light blue friezes on the sides, in addition to the country information and the legend.

The Postmark is a normal annulment from the secondary office of Petit Martinique, one of the smallest islands in the Grenadines. The Acronym in the postmark (A.B.W.I.) indeed stands for Antilles British Windward Islands.

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Botticelli – The Spring

Commemorating the 550th year of the birth of Botticelli, the post office of the Principality Of Monaco issued a stamp and a postmark of the same theme on 24/October/1995.

The Stamp reprises part of the original painting form Botticelli: “The Spring”. The painting, is Tempera on Wooden Panel. The Origin of the painting is unclear, but it looks that it was made sometimes between 1481-1482 (When Botticelli was working in the Sistine Chapel, in Rome) and 1499 (when the inventory records list it as part of the Medici city palace). In his 1550’s Life Of Botticelli, Vasari speaks of viewing the painting in the Medici residence in Castello, but says that the painting contained female nudes (which is not the case).

Annotations from Prof. Morera

“The artist produced this painting [230x314cm] for the Castello’s residence acquired by Lorenzo and Giovanni De Medici. Following the death of Lorenzo the painting and the residence became property of Giovanni delle Bande Nere. In 1815 the painting was transferred from the residence in Castello to the Uffizi Museum in Florence. This Maximum card was created by Cesare Rialdi.

Beautiful work, Together with a particularly high quality engraving on the stamp”.

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