Painting

March 2025 update

by Richard Zimmermann

Kenneth Sequeira (Singapore) provided the first illustrations of the stamps and miniature sheets issued by the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Singapore celebrating their relationship established on February 21, 1985. The stamp features Muscat Street in Singapore’s Kampong Glam district, reflecting both Singapore’s heritage and its connection with Oman, through architecture and wall paintings. The stamps and souvenir sheets were released on February 21, 2025.

In the meantime, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued similar stamps related to the integration of the Baltic States to the European electricity network. These countries disconnected their electricity grids from the old Soviet-era system (BRELL), which linked them to Russia and Belarus, and synchronized it with the European grid (ENTSO-E) on February 9, 2025. The project involved building new infrastructure, upgrading power lines, and installing synchronous condensers to stabilize the grid. The stamps were issued on March 7, 2025. The three stamps are not identical, but very similar, created by the same designer and considered as twin stamps of type [T3].

Kenneth Sequeira (Singapore) provided a series of information about new issues to be released during the year 2025. In particular, Indonesia made a series of announcements of joint issues related to diplomatic relationship with Russia (February, 2025), China PR (April), Serbia (August), and Bosnia Herzegovina (September or October 3). Knowing the broad definition by Indonesian post for joint issue, we will have to wait for announcements and even release of stamps from the partner countries before confirming existence of these issues. In particular, we are already missing information about the supposed to be released February issue with Russia (no information in the Russian philatelic program).

A Portugal – India diplomatic relations joint issue was also announced to be released on April 7, 2025. On the other hand, the long awaited UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage joint issue between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, telling tradition of Nasreddin Hodja anecdotes, is finally cancelled, without explanations. By beginning of March 2025, the 50th anniversary of the women’s day was also celebrated. Some countries (Algeria, China, Malaysia, Thailand, …) issued stamps at this occasion and others will probably do, but there is no joint character with all these stamps.

We are still missing information about Qatar stamps that could have been issued since January 31, 2025 in association with the (announced as joint issue) stamp from Argentina. Any help is welcome.

The Volume XVI of the catalogue has been updated accordingly.

Icon – Belarus Vatican

by Richard Zimmermann

On September 16, 2024, Belarus and the Vatican City issued a twin issue representing the Icon of the Student Mother of God in Grodno, Belarus. The stamps were issued at the occasion of the 360th anniversary of this icon which is a copy of the icon of Our Lady of the Snows (Salus Populi Romani, an image that arrived in Rome in 590 AD, one of the oldest representations of Our Lady Mary) from the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (Rome, Italy). Both postal administrations have issued identical stamps in miniature sheets of 6 stamps [3×2].

Russia – Tunisia

by Richard Zimmermann

The joint issue between Russia – Tunisia, honoring the painter Alexander Rubtzof (1884-1949) was released as expected on September 5, 2024. The French-Russian painter did spend a larger time of his life in Tusisia. Both countries issued the same self-portrait from 1919 and each a different second painting. The second Tunisian stamp represents ‘The gardens of Sidi Bousaïd” (1926), while the second Russian stamp represents a fragment of his painting ‘In the Living Room‘ (beginning of 20th century). Russian stamps are produced in miniature sheets containing 5 se-tenant pairs and two labels [4×3]. Med Achour Ali Ahmed (Algeria), who provided this information, found also out that an older stamp from Tunisia from 1945 was based on a painting of the Sidi Mahrez mosque.

Hungary – Luxembourg

by Richard Zimmermann

100 years of diplomatic relationship between Hungary and Luxembourg were celebrated on March 12, 2024 with a joint souvenir sheet. These commemorative items feature two paintings by Mihály Munkácsy (1844-1900), one of Hungary, Dusty Country Road II (after 1874), and another of Luxembourg, Grazing Cattle Herd (1882), in recognition of the fact that the world-famous artist is one of the closest cultural ties between the two countries. Munkácsy’s wife was Cecile Papier from Luxembourg, with whom he lived near the Belgian border at Château de Colpach in Luxembourg. 

200 years of Brazil independency

by Richard Zimmermann

Brazil issued on June 29, 2022 a stamp that ends up a series of six postage stamps, entitled “Brazil, 200 Years of Independence”, produced through a partnership between the Chamber of Deputies and Correios Brasil (Brazilian Post) that began back in 2017. The stamp shows the painting “Sessão do Conselho de Ministros” (Ministry Council Session) by Georgina Moura Andrade de Albuquerque (1885-1962). It depicts also in a medallion the portrait of “Dom Pedro I” (1798-1834) painted by Simplício Rodrigues (1785-1839). Independency was eventually accepted by the King of Portugal, Dom Joao VI (1767-1826), in 1825 through the signature of a first international treaty. Above all, the stamps shows the words ‘Joint issue Brazil Portugal’.

This Brazilian stamp is unexpectedly issued jointly with Portugal. Brazil issued 96,000 stamps in miniature sheets of 12 stamps [4×3]. Portugal will issue its stamp only on September 7, 2022 and there is so far no information available regarding the design.

How about 2022 Russian JIs?

by Richard Zimmermann

The present Ukrainian-Russian political situation affects also stamp collecting. As we have an obligation of neutrality, we shall not give any comment on this situation. The following is just to provide some information about the stamp programs of both countries. Actually, on the contrary to Ukraine, Russia had planned several joint issues for this year 2022, involving different countries.

On April 7, 2022, Russia participated to the officially yearly Joint issue of the RCC Member Countries, illustrated by parks and gardens. Stamps of Russia showed the N. Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Unfortunately, this has to be considered as a standalone issue, as so far, only Belarus issued another different stamp on April 5, 2022. Also, Armenia plans to issue an RCC stamp with garden during the third Quarter. Only the RCC emblem appears on all stamps. As a consequence, these stamps cannot be considered as joint.

The Belarus – Russia joint issue dedicated to the painter V.K. Byalynitski-Biruli on May 22, 2022 was issued as scheduled (see previous post) and was considered as a true twin issue.

The following issues announced in the Russian philatelic program are more doubtful to be released:

Russia plans to release on August 26, 2022 a joint issue with Azerbaijan on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, illustrated with art pieces. No information is available from Azerbaijan.

Three days later, on August 29, 2022, Russia intends to release also stamps with Armenia, also on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, illustrated with the topic Architecture. These stamps are still in the Armenian philatelic program for 2022, but shifted to Quarter 4.

The international forum for the preservation of the tiger, to be issued on September 5, 2022, as a joint stamp series, is still on the agenda. It si quite difficult to tell if this issue will really be a joint issue. several countries have already issued stamps at the occasion of the Chinese year of the Tiger, but this has nothing to do with this international forum.

The celebration of the twin cities of Zagreb and St Petersburg, so, between Russia and Croatia, originally planned to be released on June 23, 2022, has been postponed to November 23, 2022.

Nothing will guarantee these stamps will be released. We will continue to watch carefully the situation and keep you informed.

Belarus-Russian landscape painter honored

by Richard Zimmermann

Vitold Byalynitskiy-Birulya was a Belarus, Soviet and Russian landscape painter born in the Krynki hamlet of the Mogilev province, on January 12, 1872. He studied first at the Kiev School of Graphic Art, and then at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Vitold Byalynitsky-Birulya painted landscapes almost exclusively, depicting simple, uncomplicated landscapes of the central zone of Russia. In 1904, Byalynitsky-Birulya joined the Itinerants group, and in 1922, the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia. He was a member of the Arkhip Kuinji Society. He died on June 18, 1957, in its datcha near Tver, at age 85. This house became a museum.

On May 17, 2022, Belarus and Russia postal administration decided to celebrate jointly its 150th birthday through the issue of similar souvenir sheets. The frame and margin of the souvenir sheets are similar (portrait of the painter), but the stamps represent two different landscapes.

European Capital of Culture 2022

by Richard Zimmermann

Lithuania and Luxembourg came together to celebrate the European Capital of Culture 2022 with an identical souvenir sheet showing two paintings from local painters. One stamp displays the painting “Bathing” by the Lithuanian artist Stasys Ušinskas (1905-1974), the other one shows the painting “Nemrod” by Foni Tissen (1909-1975) from Luxembourg. Lithuanian souvenir sheet was issued on May 13, 2022 while Luxembourg stamps became available only on May 17, 2022.

Since January 1, 2022, three cities in Europe – Esch-sur-Alzette (Luxembourg), Kaunas (Lithuania) and Novi Sad (Serbia) – hold the title of European Capital of Culture for one year. Serbia issued also dedicated stamps, but there is no relation with this Lithuanian – Luxembourg joint issue.