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Christmas 2011 – Slovakia

srmodh — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 14:59:34 +0000

The painting of Anna Selbdritt from Rož?ava (1513), in literature also known under the name of Metercia from Rož?ava, is one of the most famous works of art of the late Gothic period in Slovakia. While the circuit the artist drew the inspiration from remains a subject of discussion, there is little doubt of the panel environment, in which it is located up to now. The group of St. Anne with her daughter Virgin Mary and a grandchild – Jesus – among them belonged to the most common themes of paintings in Spiš as well as in Eastern Slovakia (Levo?a, ?ubica, Spišská Sobota, Strážky, Prešov, etc.) around 1500.

The boom of this iconography was connected with the theological idea of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and the paintings ordered by religious brotherhoods of St. Anne promoted this idea. Metercia from Rož?ava is different from most other similar paintings, showing the landscape scenes with images of mining life. And so on this panel one can see a man, on the threshold of modern times, and his images of mechanisms necessary for mining of ores and precious metals, including pulleys, wagons and some works such as ore conveying, smelting and so on. The whole scene is overseen from the middle of the clouds by the half-figure of God the Father, while there are a few angels behind St. Anne climbing the tree on the left. This theme probably comes from the Old Testament, which speaks of wealth that “one cannot search for in a treetop, but in its roots”

Title: Panel Painting of Metercia from Rož?ava
Date of Issue: 13 December 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 1.60 €

Source: www.posta.si

Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2011

srmodh — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:34:55 +0000

Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) was first held in 1967. It is the largest non-commercial event of its kind in the world, presenting the original works of books for children and youth in a competitive way.

The BIB International Jury awards 11 prizes – Grand Prix BIB, five BIB Golden Apples and five BIB Plaques. Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava is the most important event organized by BIBIANA, the International House of Art for Children. It is held every odd year in the autumn in Bratislava. The latest event in 2009, the 22nd year of BIB was attended by 344 authors from 37 countries with nearly 2500 illustrations.
The post stamp is a reproduced illustration from the book Tracy’s Tiger by a talented young Slovak artist Martina Matlovi?ová-Králová (24th Dec 1975), which won the previous Biennial BIB Golden Apple.

Martina Matlovi?ová-Králová studied at the Academy of Performing Arts in the Department of Animation. She, however, concentrates mostly on book illustrations, which earned her several awards. Perhaps thanks to her having studied animation that we can observe a stage design vision in her works. Her work is characterized by the use of combined techniques – painting is often supplemented by collage which completes the whole illustration compositionally.

Title: Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2011
Date of Issue: 2 September 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.40 €

Source: http://www.pofis.sk/

150 Anniversary of the Memorandum of the Slovak Nation

srmodh — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 10:21:45 +0000

Slovakia issued a special stamp dealing with one of the most significant events of the modern Slovak history – declaration of the Memorandum of the Slovak Nation on June 6 – 7, 1861 at the national assembly in Martin. It was already the second Slovak national program (the first one were the Demands of the Slovak Nation of 1848).

The Slovaks tried to obtain acknowledgement of their national individuality and drawing political consequences of this acknowledgement – obtaining Home Rule on a designated area (Slovak area) which they inhabited. It was related to the renewal of political life in the Austrian Empire, where the Slovaks lived after the fall of the Bach´s absolutism.

It followed the October Certificate of the Emperor of 1860 promising the renewal of free political life. Since this life was supposed to be carried out in historically constitutional monarchy units, the Slovaks sent their memorandum primarily to the Diet of Hungarian Kingdom. It, however, refused to deal with it. After the Diet was dismissed, the permanent committee elected in Martin turned to the Emperor with the Memorandum.

This so called Vienna Memorandum was supplemented with the Privilege (constitution) for the Slovak area in which the constitutional position of the Slovak nation within the Monarchy was determined. At that time the Memorandum was not successful, its ideas, however, were the basis of the Slovak political program until 1938.

Title: 150 Anniversary of the Memorandum of the Slovak Nation
Date of Issue: 6 June 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 1.20 €

Source: www.pofis.sk

Children´s Stamp – Slovakia

srmodh — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 08:14:29 +0000

The artwork of the postage stamp originates from the national art competition MONTH OF CHILDREN’S CREATION conducted by professor Karol Ondrei?ka. The competition’s topic I WILL DRAW A FLOWER CHILDREN’S STAMP was suggested by Martin Van?o.

The national art competition is dedicated to both physically and mentally handicapped children regardless of age. The first chairman as well as co-founder of the competition was a prestigious Slovak artist, Professor Karol Ondrei?ka. After his death, his office was taken over by Professor Dušan Kallay which he continues to hold. In 2010, the national competition included artwork by five thousand children from almost 400 special and integrated elementary schools, children’s homes, and welfare and re-educational institutions.

Within twelve years of the competition’s existence, which started with the publication of children’s magazine Fifík as well as children’s Association Turtles, children have painted, drawn, modelled and embroidered nearly 70,000 works of art. They have created four mascots which represented our delegation of sportsmen at the Paralympic Games. The artwork has also decorated the corridors of the Cardiologic Centre in Bratislava, they have been published in many printed media as well as illustrations for a book of original children’s tales with the title Little Angel in Tall Grass, adapted by Slovak writers.

Title: Children´s Stamp – Slovakia
Date of Issue: 3 June 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.40 €

Source: www.pofis.sk

EUROPA 2011 – National Park Poloniny – Slovakia

srmodh — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:08:07 +0000

The National Park Poloniny is the eastern-most Slovak large protected area. It lies on the Slovak-Polish-Ukrainian border. The forests are dominant in the national park – they cover more than 90 % of the area. Those most precious ones are declared to be the national natural preserves or natural preserves to protect the old forest community. They are unique for human-impacted or only slightly impacted forests called primeval forests. It is a community where everything flows in an integrated circle. It represents the peak of natural ecosystems.

The primeval forest development has three stages. The circle of life starts at the stage of growth (forest younger than 150 years), and continues at the stage of optimum (forest of age 150 – 250) and declining of large trees with subsequent natural woods rejuvenation during the stage of decay (forest older than 250 years). The main wood species of the Carpathian forests is the European beech (Fagus silvatica). Together with white fir (Abies alba) they create precious beech and fir-beech communities. More than 40-meter high beeches are 200 to 250 years old. Slim, more than 50-meter high firs reach the age of 300 to 500 years.

The old forests are interesting for the amount of various precious and endangered plant and animal species. Typical is Dog´s Mercury, Henbane Bell, Dentaria Glandulosa, Tozzia Carpathica, Campanula Serrata, Tiger Lilly, Scilla Kladnii. Primeval forests are a suitable refuge of a wide variety of animals. In the wood of the lost beeches, the larvae of precious longicorns can be found – Rosalia Longicorn and Leptura (=Strangalia) Thoracica. Amphibians are represented by Yellow-Bellied Toad, Carpathian Newt, Fire Salamander. Of the reptiles typical is Aesculapian Snake, randomly also Common European Viper can be found.

Title: EUROPA 2011 – National Park Poloniny
Date of Issue: 6 May 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.90 €

Source: www.pofis.sk

Ice Hockey World Championship 2011

srmodh — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:07:48 +0000

Slovakia post issued a set of stamps to commemorate Ice Hockey World Championship 2011. When the Congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) during the IIHF World Championship 2006 in Riga, Latvia, decided to hold the 2011 World Championship in Slovakia, certainly, many hockey fans were delighted, but the officials were facing a difficult task – to provide for a presentable ice hockey stadium in Bratislava.
Based on various proposals, a solution to reconstruct the original ice rink at Tehelné Pole with a completion date by the end of 2010 was chosen. World-class hockey players will be playing in Bratislava and Košice from 29 April to 15 May, which means that the World Ice Hockey Championship is to be held in the country under the Tatra Mountains.

Slovak candidacy received 70 votes, while the Swedish one only 20 and the Hungarian one 14 votes. The last time our country received such an honour was sixteen years ago, but at that time it was a lower category, namely Group B World Cup. Since then, a lot has happened in the hockey world and even Slovaks contributed significantly to the history of the fastest collective game. In 2000 they became the world vice-champions and won silver medals.

Title: Ice Hockey World Championship 2011
Date of Issue: 25 March 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.40 €, 0.50 €

Source: www.pofis.sk

Easter 2011 Folk Style – Slovakia

srmodh — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:07:28 +0000

Easter is the most important Christian festival which as the only movable festival falls on March or April. Its celebrations in the church were mentioned already in the 2nd century.

Just like the blood of the Lamb of God saved the old Israelites in ancient Egypt from ten plagues of God, the death of Jesus Christ saved all Christians from eternal damnation. Therefore, the lamb became a symbol not only of Jesus Christ, but also the Easter. Easter celebrations in Slovakia vary depending on different regions.
Their time roughly coincides with the pagan celebration of the spring arrival, and therefore the folk traditions adopted a great deal of habits and customs from the pre-Christian times. Since an egg contains the seed of life, it was a symbol of fertility, life and resurrection in many cultures.

Old Slavs used to place painted eggs of clay to the dead into their graves. In Christianity, the egg is interpreted as a symbol of the closed grave from which Christ rose from the dead as a symbol of immortality. The folk tradition is connected with the custom of painting these eggs. The reason for eating eggs at Easter was probably the fact that it was not allowed to eat eggs in Lent. Similarly, the character of the Easter bunny, which now brings children chocolate eggs, has the archaic origin. In various cultures, the bunny is very often an attribute of immortality or resurrection, just like the motif of chick, which is hatched from the egg.

Title: Easter 2011 Folk Style – Slovakia
Date of Issue: 4 March 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.40 €

Source: www.pofis.sk

20th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Visegrad Group – Slovakia

srmodh — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:01:38 +0000

V4 is an informal grouping of four central European countries – the Czech Republic, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic.

In the wake of post-1989 changes, three central European countries decided to forge closer cooperation with the aim of “returning” to Europe. At a meeting of government representatives of Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary, convened in Bratislava as early as May 1990, the groundwork was laid for developing a project of trilateral cooperation between these countries.

Subsequently, on 15 February 1991, Czechoslovakia’s President Václav Havel, Poland’s President Lech Walesa and Hungary’s Prime Minister József Antall signed the Visegrad Declaration in Visegrád.

After the split of Czechoslovakia and the creation of independent Slovak and Czech Republics in 1993, the trilateral Visegrad cooperation was transformed to a V4 format. The endeavours of the V4 received further boost in 1998. At the May 1999 summit held in Bratislava, the Prime Ministers of the V4 countries agreed on the deepening of cooperation in all areas of mutual interest and for mutual support in integration into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures. The key objectives pursued by the V4 countries in the first decade were accomplished with their successful socio-economic transformation, the deepening of regional cooperation and with their EU and NATO integration. In May 2004, the Prime Ministers of the V4 countries adopted the Krom??íž Declaration in which they emphasised the importance of the continued Visegrad cooperation in the new context following EU and NATO accessions.

Title: 20th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Visegrad Group – Slovakia
Date of Issue: 11 February 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.90 €

Source: www.pofis.sk

International Year of Chemistry – Slovakia

srmodh — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:48:18 +0000

Slovakia post issued a postage stamp to mark 2011 as an International Year of Chemistry. The 63rd UN General Assembly in December 2008 approved the year 2011 to be the International Year of Chemistry – IYC on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the International Association of Chemical Societies – IACS (a few years later, it was transformed to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
The main theme of IYC 2011 is “Chemistry – Our Life, Our Future” and is focused on the achievements of chemistry and its contribution to well-functioning human society.

Numerous campaigns of these organizations in 2011 should gain public recognition and understanding of chemistry, increase young people’s interest in science and promote the optimistic understanding of the creative future of chemistry. The official launch of IYC 2011 will be held on January 27, 2011 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Stamp edition to mark the International Year of Chemistry in 2011 was initiated the Slovak Chemical Society at the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Chemical industry in Slovakia is particularly focused on petrochemistry, manufacture of pharmaceuticals and products from macromolecular compounds.

Issue of “International Year of Chemistry 2011” is based on the environmentally motivated idea. We are alive because of the ingenious natural chemical reaction – photosynthesis, which ensures the existence of life on earth. Its exceptional performance and waste-free process makes photosynthesis an example, which shows the direction of chemically motivated human activity.

The basis of the stamp design is made up of two important chemical compounds, water and carbon dioxide, depicted according to the calotte model, which interact in photosynthesis. Colouring of the stamp reflects dual-wise two basic stages of photosynthesis: light – in the form of sunlight and dark – in the form of blue colour symbolizing water. Sunlight and chlorophyll are the catalyst of photosynthesis, which results in oxygen and glucose, two molecules of life, having an essential role in our lives.

Title: International Year of Chemistry – Slovakia
Date of Issue: 17 January 2011
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.80 €

Source: www.pofis.sk

Christmas 2010 – Slovakia

srmodh — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 22:47:02 +0000

Slovakia post issued a Christmas stamp featuring the painting Birth of Christ placed in the shape of letter P at the Town Museum in Bratislava.

Liturgical manuscript of the Bratislava missal I from the beginning of the 14th century is preserved in several fragments. It can be found in the Bratislava Archive, in the Town Museum in Bratislava and in the St. Adalbert Association in Trnava. Originally having 366 sheets, nowadays there are 303 altogether. There are painted figural illuminations mainly as initials with biblical motifs on some of these parchment sheets of the Codex.

One of these paintings, on the parchments sheets in the Town Museum, is the Nativity initial. The scene is placed in the shape of letter P. This is initial of the text Peur natus est… (Baby boy was born). Simple notation above the text reveals that it is a Christmas song which was integrated to the liturgical codex. Baby Jesus – stiffly lying, wrapped in a napkin with distinctive gloriole on his head is dominating the scene. Jesus is accompanied with an ass, calf and two angels pointing to the star on the golden background of the miniature picture.

Title: Christmas 2010 – Slovakia
Date of Issue: 12 November 2010
Country: Slovakia
Denominations: 0.40 €

Source: www.pofis.sk