To celebrate the 50 Anniversary of the Barcelona Boat Show, a commemorative stamp is issued depicting a sailboat at sea.

The Barcelona Boat Show is the largest gathering of the nautical and recreational navigation industry in Spain and one of the most important in Europe. It is held every year and is an international showcase to present the sector’s latest nautical trends.  (read more)

published November 21st, 2011

The Important Events series celebrates the 300 anniversary of the National Library. The stamp depicts part of the centre pediment.

More than 28 million documents, including some 3,000 manuscripts and 30,000 printed books, make up the oldest cultural institution in Spain. Unique works such as the Poema de Mío Cid (XIII century), the Beato de Fernando I and Doña Sancha (XI century), the Fuero Juzgo (X century) or the first grammar of the Castilian language (XV century) by Antonio de Nebrija are some of the jewels of the National Library.  (read more)

published November 17th, 2011

Christmas stamps recreate the art works of the past and present. This year’s Spanish Christmas issue is made up of two stamps, one depicting the sculpture of the Holy Family with the baby Jesus beginning to walk, by Spanish artist Luisa Roldán (1654-1704), whilst the other stamps features a neoclassical version of the Holy Family by painter J. Carrero.

Luisa Roldán, popularly known as La Roldana, is the daughter and disciple of the famous Sevillian sculptor, Pedro Roldán. In this sculptural composition, she has skilfully captured the concept which emanates a unique and overwhelming sensibility.

(read more)

published November 15th, 2011

Mario Vargas Llosa, the Nobel Prize in Literature 2010, is internationally acknowledged as one of the most significant contemporary writers in Spanish. He was born in 1936 in Arequipa (Peru) and obtained the Spanish citizenship in 1993 due to his life-long bonds with Spain and the existing dual nationality agreement with Peru. All his life has been marked by his vocation as a writer which began as a journalist for several newspapers in his native country. He was born to a wealthy family, studied law and literature at the University of San Marcos, Lima, and later conducted doctorate studies at the University Complutense of Madrid. In 1960 he moved to Paris. He has also lived in London, Barcelona and Madrid, places where he has spent most of his extensive literary life.  (read more)

published November 11th, 2011

Elio Berenguer Ubeda, known as Elio Berhanyer in the fashion world, was born in Córdoba in 1929. At the age of 17 he moved to Madrid and began to work in fashion. In 1956 he became a couturier and opened his own atelier. His name soon became known abroad and in that same year he won the award to the best designer given by Cadillac in the U.S.. Between 1960 and 1970 he presented his haute couture collection in the best catwalks and actress Ava Gardner, the countess of Romanones, queen Sofia and princess Pilar have worn his clothes.

(read more)

published November 8th, 2011

The America UPAEP series is issued once a year by member countries of the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal with a common theme. This year’s topic is “Mailboxes”.

In Spain there were no mailboxes to deposit the post until 1762 and it was delivered by hand to the mail clerk. That year an official provision established opening a : “hole or fence in all paths in which to throw the letters without being able to receive them by hand.” This avoided suspicion arising at the possible loss of shipments whilst providing better service by not having to wait for the “driver” to hand over the mail. Since then and over the years post boxes have varied in shapes, decorations and materials used in their manufacture.  (read more)

published October 17th, 2011

This Contemporary Art souvenir sheet is illustrated with four stamps depicting the various stages in the work of artist Antoni Tàpies.

Painter and sculptor Antoni Tàpies was born in Barcelona in 1923 and began his career as a self-taught artist. In 1946 after abandoning his law studies he began to paint realistic portraits and went on to expressionist compositions made with heavily textured materials and mild strokes. In 1948 he founded the legendary group Dau al Set with artist and poet Brossa, philosopher Arnau Puig and artists Modest Cuixa, Joan Ponç and Thàrrats. Through these he became friends with Joan Prats and met Joan Miró. The style he develops in those years is framed within the “magic realism” that is perceived through fantastic and oneiric landscapes. These works show the influence of Klee and Ernst.  (read more)

published October 3rd, 2011

This Spanish Ceramics issue is devoted to the ceramic of Manises with four different stamps depicting a water jug, a vase, a plate and a modernist bottle.

If we review the history of the ceramics of Manises since the XIV century till this day we see an evolution in colours, shapes and styles. There are blue pottery pieces with inscriptions and motifs of Muslim influence, pottery also made in the gold reflective technique of the Muslims or Christians; geometric ceramic with images of lions and birds from the XVI and XVII centuries and ceramics with varied motives and white backgrounds from the XVIII century.

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published September 23rd, 2011

The stamp depicts the bell tower whilst the souvenir sheet features a panoramic view of the cathedral and the surroundings.

The town of Albarracín is located in the province of Teruel by the river Guadalaviar at an altitude of 1,171 meters. It belongs to the diocese of Teruel – Albarracín and was declared National Monument in June 1961.

Although the Cathedral of Albarracín is built on the ruins of an ancient Roman temple, construction of the Renaissance building as we know it today was started around 1530 by Bishop Gaspar Jofre de Borja and was completed around 1595 under Bishop Martin Terrer Valenzuela who commissioned the construction of the bell tower. In the building of the cathedral were involved masters such as Quinto Pierres Vedel, who was responsible for the construction of the roof and several chapels, and Martín de Castañeda who participated in the building of the choir and the apse of the temple. (read more)

published August 25th, 2011

This Spanish cinemas series is devoted to Luis García Berlanga and Rafael Azcona, two prominent names in the Spanish film industry.

Film director Luis Garcia Berlanga (Valencia, 1921-Madrid, 2010) studied in the Instituto de Investigaciones y Experiencias Cinematográficas (Institute for Research and Cinematic Experiences) in Madrid, an institution created in 1947 offering training in the various disciplines within film production. He soon made his debut as film director and in 1951 directed Esa pareja feliz (That happy couple) in collaboration with Juan Antonio Bardem. Both filmmakers are considered to be the main innovators of Spanish cinema after the war. Amongst the first films of García Berlanga are Bienvenido Mr. Marshall, which reflects the humbleness of the inhabitants of a small town hoping to be rescued by a visiting American delegation. (read more)

published August 23rd, 2011

The image in the souvenir sheet depicts a fragment of the tapestry from the series “Dido and Aeneas” from the collection of the Palacio Real de Madrid, focusing on the passage in which “Dido bids farewell to Aeneas.”

The tapestry is made of silk and wool and manufactured in Brussels around 1660 by Gerard Peemans, one of the best weavers of the time.

The Roman poet Virgil (1st century BC) tells us in The Aeneid of the tragic love story of “Dido and Aeneas”. A story of love and abandonment. The myth narrated by Virgil tells of how the Trojans are received by the Carthaginian queen Dido when they arrive at Cartago and Dido meets Trojan prince and hero Aeneas.

(read more)

published July 12th, 2011