France 1979 - Tourism Series (Part 7)

It was the product of an inherited fortune. It employed an architect so obsessed with perfection, he razed whole sections of the building to the ground if they didn't meet with the approval  of his hyper-critical eye. From the time of its construction in 1630 till 1905 when it was purchased by the state, it passed through the hands of no less than seven different families. It was even visited by Louis XIV in April 1651.

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The Château de Maisons, which is now called Château de Maisons-Laffitte, is located in Maisons-Laffitte, a northwestern suburb of Paris, in the department of Yvelines, Île-de-France. Construction of the château was commissioned in 1630 by René de Longueil using the funds from a fortune inherited by his wife, Madeleine Boulenc de Crévecœur, who died six years later in 1636, never to see the fruits of her inheritance. By 1651 the château was complete, and it was in this year that it played host to King Louis XIV in April.

The Château de Maisons was designed by François Mansart in the French baroque architectural style. According to a pamphlet entitled, La Mansarade, the architect realised, after completing the construction of the first floor of the château, that he had committed an error in the plans  So in a ludicrously egocentric move, he apparently razed everything built so far to the ground in order to start afresh! A tall tale? Who knows. But it certainly makes for a compelling story.

René de Longueil died in 1677, and the château remained in his family until 1732. Between that date and 1905 it passed through the hands of no less than seven families. Too many to list here. For a full history of the château, click HERE. In 1905, the State purchased the château in order to save it from demolition. Then in 1914 it was deemed an historical monument. 

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On 9 July, 1979, France issued a set of seven stamps in their ongoing Tourism series. To read the previous six parts, simply click on the relevant link. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. In this blog I'll take a close look at the final stamp in this series, the 0,45 value. This stamp depicts the Château de Maisons, which is now called Château de Maisons-Laffitte. This stamp was designed and engraved by Pierre Forget. Contrary to the stamp depicting an architectural monument that I studied in Part 6, I think this one is a true stunner. A far  more interesting and visually appealing design than the stamp shown in Part 6. But that's just my humble opinion.

This stamp has, in my eyes, a somewhat Decaris-esque quality. If compared to Decaris' 1946 Luxembourg Palace design, we can see a marked similarity of line style.

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Indeed, even the 1948 Saarland architectural stamp by Decaris bears some similarity, I feel.

Until next time...

France 1979 - Tourism Series (Part 6)

For several centuries it was considered one of the richest, if not the richest, of Abbeys in France. It was the hub of intellectual life in the French Catholic church, housing one of the most important scriptoriums in the country. It was pillaged and burned by Vikings, then like a phoenix rising from the ashes, it  was restored to its former glory only to have portions blow up, towers collapse and other forms of atrocious wonders. This is the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris.

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Founded in the 6th Century by Childebert I, who was the son of Clovis I, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés was built on the outskirts of early medieval Paris, in a region of the Left Bank that was quite prone to flooding from the Seine. Consequently, it was established on slightly raised meadow land, known in French as a prés. Hence the name it has been given. By the 9th Century it was already considered one of the richest abbeys in France, as evidenced by its polyptych (an inventory of properties owned by the church). It was also in this century that  it was the victim of several Viking onslaughts, which left parts of the church grounds little more than smoking ruins. By 1014 it had risen from the ashes and was restored to something akin to is former glory, possibly even more glorious. 

Over the course of the next two centuries, its riches and stature grew, and by the 11th Century, the church contained what was considered an "important" scriptorium, a polite way of saying a kick butt library! In fact, the abbey was the hub of the Catholic church's intelligentsia right up until the French Revolution when it was disbanded. But this wasn't the end of the destruction inflicted upon the abbey. In 1794 a fire broke out completely destroying its library. And at some point (I'm assuming around this time but haven't been able to find a date yet) an explosion of stored saltpeter totally levelled the abbey and its cloisters. Only the church itself was spared in this particular disaster. To this day the abbey church remains as the Église de Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It is one of the oldest, and perhaps one of the most unlucky, churches in Paris.

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On 9 July, 1979, France issued a set of seven stamps in their ongoing Tourism series. To read the previous five parts, simply click on the relevant link. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. In this blog I'll take a close look at the 1,40 stamp, which depicts the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. This stamp was designed and engraved by Jacques Gauthier. This stamp has been executed in a 2D front elevation style akin to an architectural drawing. Personally, I'm not very partial to this design. For an abbey with such a remarkable history, I would have thought a stamp with a far more dynamic representation of the building was in order. I'm sure there are those out there that love its detailed simplicity. And that's totally fine. But I don't. I consider it rather boring. 

Until next time...

France 1979 - Tourism Series (Part 5)

The last battle of the Breton War of Succession was fought here in 1364. In 1776, at the beginning of the US War of Independence, Benjamin Franklin came through here in his way to meet with Louis XVI to seek military aid. In 1795, 750 rebels were shot and buried here. Its train station was of vital strategic importance during WWII. Its inhabitants are called Alréens. This is Auray, a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany, northwestern France. Aside from its rather checkered history, Auray is home to some breathtaking architecture. From bridges and fountains to churches and stunning timber houses, a stroll through the city is well worth it.

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On 9 July, 1979, France issued a set of seven stamps in their ongoing Tourism series. To read the previous four parts, simply click on the relevant link. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4 In this blog I'll take a close look at the 1,00 stamp, which depicts a gorgeous wooden house in the town square of Auray. This stamp was designed and engraved by Claude Haley. This particular stamp is quite special in that it won Haley the 1979 Philatelic Art Grand Prize. A very worthy winner. This stamp is crammed with an amazing level of detail.

Until next time...

France 1979 - Tourism Series (Part 4)

Ever wondered what a stamp would look like as a playing card? This is a question French stamp engraver and designer, Pierre Forget, set out to answer in 1979 to commemorate Norman abbeys. Two abbeys were chosen for this cutting edge stamp design: the Abbey of St-Pierre-sur-Dives and Bernay Abbey. Without further ado, let us delve...

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Its stunning towers loom large over the sleepy town of St-Pierre-sur-Dives. The Abbey of St-Pierre-sur-Dives, Abbaye Saint-Pierre sur Dives, was founded in the 11th century by Countess Lesceline, who happened to be the great-aunt of William the Conqueror. It was originally built to house a community of nuns. At some point over the course of the next century, the nuns were replaced by Benedictine monks from the Abbey of the Holy Trinity in Rouen. The abbey as it stands today is very different from its original design. It was rebuilt between the 13th and 15th centuries, during a time known as the Gothic period. Having said this, the church still contains the tomb of its founder, Countess Lesceline.

Bernay Abbey, Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bernay was founded in the 11th century by Judith of Brittany. Judith was the daughter of Conan I of Rennes and wife of Richard II, Duke of Normandy. The original design was ahead of its time, being one of the first examples of Romanesque architecture in Normandy. The church was listed as an historic monument in 1862.

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On 9 July, 1979, France issued a set of seven stamps in their ongoing Tourism series. To read the previous three parts, simply click on the relevant link. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. In this blog I'll take a close look at the 1,00 stamp, which depicts both Abbey of St-Pierre-sur-Dives and Bernay Abbey in a funky playing card style. This stamp was designed and engraved by Pierre Forget. 

This stamp is truly fantastic. The top half commemorates Abbey St-Pierre-sur-Dives. At the bottom of the stamp, in the inverted style of a playing card graphic, is a representation of Barney Abbey. Aside from the glorious engravings of the church interiors, this stamp has a couple of other interesting features. If you look to the top right, you will come across this...

Forget has ingeniously added the letter N for Normandy in theform of a vault in the ceiling. Below this we see the letters AA forming a cross with a Cross of the Abbey,. The AA stands for A year of Abbeys. Pretty cool.

Until next time...

Andorra 1944 - Definitives (Part 3)

Andorra is a landlocked sovereign microstate on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees. It borders Spain to the south and France to the north. It is traditionally believed that Andorra was created by Charles the Great (Charlemagne) in the 8th century where he was said to have installed some five thousand soldiers in the area to act as a protective force in return for local help in defeating the Moors. Whatever the case, it is certainly known that the state was transferred to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Urgell in 988. And the principality, as it to this day stands, was formed by a charter in 1278. This is, of course, a fly by version of the fascinating history of Andorra. To read more of its history, click HERE. 

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Between 1944 and 1947 Andorra issued a stunning set of twenty definitive stamps. The set includes four different designs, all engraved by Achille Ouvré. In this blog we shall study the third design in this set, depicting Old Andorra, Andorra La Vielle. To study the first two designs, click the relevant link. Part 1. Part 2.. This design was printed in five values, each with its own unique colour. The 5f green was issued in 1947, th 6f carmine in 1945, the 10f ultramarine in 1946. The rest were issued in 1944. So let's now turn to the stamps.

As mentioned above, this stunning design features a birds-eye view of Old Andorra, which is the capital city of Andorra. An interesting factoid about Old Andorra, it is the highest capital city in Europe at an elevation of 1,023 metres (a similar elevation to where I presently live).

Until next time...

France 1979 - Tourism Series (Part 3)

An absurd undertaking can be viewed as 'tilting at a windmill', but for practical purposes, windmills have been an efficient way of generating power since they first appeared in Persia in the 9th Century. Windmills have been used to pump water, mill grain, or as we shall soon see, to pump oil.

Somain is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is primarily known for its extensive mining industry. Its first mine, called the Renaissance mine, opened in 1839. Somain was also the home to a large windmill that was built in 1744. In 1901, the windmill was moved to its present location in Steenvoorde, a short distance south of Dunkirk. The mill was later restored (I've been unable to find a restoration date), and it is being used as an oil mill. 

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On 9 July, 1979, France issued a set of seven stamps in their ongoing Tourism series. To read the previous two parts, simply click on the relevant link. Part 1. Part 2 In this blog I'll take a close look at the 1,20 stamp, which depicts the Steenvorde windmill.. This stamp was designed and engraved by Eugène Lacaque. 

Based on photos I've seen of the restored windmill, it seems to me that this design features a fairly rundown windmill, crying out for assistance. It is clearly evident the the sails (or blades) are in a pretty sad state of disrepair. However, there is the chance that this is simply how Lacaque chose to engrave the sails. I lean toward the former.

Until next time...

France 1979 - Tourism Series (Part 2)

It started life as a grand palace in 1309, it saw a mighty clash of religious leaders in 1415, and in 1502 it was besieged, resulting in a portion of its structure being destroyed. This is the intriguing life of the Palace of the Kings of Majorca.

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In 1276, King James II of Majorca decide to make Perpignan the capital of the his Kingdom of Majorca. Enlisting architects Ramon Pau, Pons Descoll, and Bernat Quer, he set about planning the construction of the palace on the hill of Puig del Rey. It was to be constructed in the Gothic style, surrounded by sprawling gardens. The palace was completed 35 years later in 1309.

A little over 100 years later in 1415, the Holy Roman Emperor, Sigismund of Luxemburg, arranged for a summit to be held in the palace. The purpose of the gathering was an attempt to coax the Avignon Antipope Benedict XIII to resign his office and hopefully bring an end to the Western Schism (a split within the Catholic church, from 1378 to 1417). This proved a futile gesture, and after a verbal clash with the Antipope, the Roman Emperor left Perpignan on 5 November, presumably with copious quantities of steam pouring from his ears!

Then a little less than 100 years after the epic debate, the palace was the unfortunate host of a siege in 1502. This siege resulted in the destruction of a part of the northern wing. Fast forward a little over 150 years to 1659. Following the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, many of the defensive features of the palace were added. 

If we skip forward a further 300 years to 1958. In this year, the palace and its magnificent gardens was purchased by the General Council of the Pyrénées-Orientales. Since then it has been home to the French Ministry of Defence, a rather fitting use.

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On 9 July, 1979, France issued a set of seven stamps in their ongoing Tourism series. To read Part 1, click HERE In this blog I'll take a close look at the 1,70 stamp, which showcases the Palace of the Kings of Majorica. This lovely stamp was designed and engraved by René Quillivic. 

Admittedly, this stamp is predominately walls. But I feel it showcases the differing roles of the palace over the centuries with an almost brutal efficiency. I quite like it.

Until next time...

France 1979 - Tourism Series (Part 1)

He raised the torch high, the firelight casting dancing demon-shadows across the irregular cave walls. He ran a calloused hand with delicate precision across the rough surface. A smile creased his face. Yes, yes. This spot would do very nicely. He set down the torch, stepped up to the rocky canvas, and began working in earnest.

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It almost defies the imagination to think that a moment of artist inspiration, somewhat loosely akin to the fictional account above, occurred in a cave in south-western France some 13,000 years ago and evidence of said event still exists today. In fact, the Cave of Niaux, Grotte de Niaux, is home to numerous galleries containing beautifully-rendered wall paintings. Archaeologists date the site to the Magdalenian period between 17,000 and 11,000 years ago. The artwork found in these cave galleries is typical of the style prevalent in the Magdalenian Period, called simply black-outlined style. One of the most well-known paintings is located in The Black Hall, Le Salon Noir. 

The predominating animal is the bison, represented in the upper part of the panel. The bison standing out in the left central part is usually catalogued as a female, due to the shapes presented, such as the scarcely prominent hump. By contrast and in opposition to this is the male, found on the right-hand side and showing a more prominent hump.

The lower part of the wall represents several horses which, with painted hair, represent a member of the equine family with a great amount of hair, the Przewalski. The bestiary is finished off with two goats, one represented in a very natural manner and the other in a totally schematic manner. The panel is dated as being 13,000 years old. (Wikipedia)

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On 9 July, 1979, France issued a set of seven stamps in their ongoing Tourism series. In order to focus better on each stamp in this series, I will do a separate blog post for each. In this blog I'll take a close look at the 1,50 stamp, depicting artwork from the Cave of Niaux. This gorgeous stamp was designed and engraved by Marie-Noelle Goffin. 

Marie-Noelle Goffin has done a splendid job, reinvigorating this artwork and rendering it in stamp form for the world to share. Dominating the centre left of the stamp is a majestic bison, which as mentioned in the quote above, has been deemed by experts as a female due to that fact that it is depicted as possessing a small hump. 

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The bison to the right is considered a male, due to its large hump. 

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Elsewhere on the painting, we see a goat (bottom left) and a female horse (bottom right). 

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This painting is a fasicnating snapshot into the paleo-world of France c. 13,000 years ago.

Until next time...