For illustrated stamps, you really need not look any further than the Czech Republic. I'm not entirely certain, but it does seem like 99% of their stamps are illustrations rather than photographs.
From their lovely depictions of flowers, like this tulip from 2010
or the cyclamen from 2007, or the azalea from 2008 (all by graphic designer A Khunova)
to the Postcrossing stamp designed by Maria Nogueira in 2015
to perhaps the most famous Czech artist, Alphonse (or Alfons in Czech) Mucha
this is his 'Zodiac', which was originally designed as a calendar in 1896
to this 2014 stamp promoting Good Luck, with a dog chewing on a four leaf clover.
It was designed by Jiri Sliva and I really have no idea why the attached bit on the left is of a dog tied to a lamp while reading a book. But - and I did not know this - if you find a four leaf clover and you are wanting to find a mate (husband) an unmarried woman is supposed to eat it and the first unmarried man she sees afterwards will be her true love.
more countries from around the world have illustrated stamps, find some at Sunday Stamps II
What an unusual collection. Really like the zodiac stamp, and the dog is great, if unexplained ;)
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of Mucha, but this stamp is nice. The dog one is strange.
DeleteI think that is one of my favorite Postcrossing stamps. It tells the whole story of how it works!
ReplyDeleteI agree, the stamps from Belarus, Netherlands and Finland aren't nearly as clear.
DeleteThe dog holding the flower resembles the one that RCA used in advertising, doesn't it?...:)JP
ReplyDeletethat was my first thought, too!
DeleteI only have animals from the Czech Republic. I like the dog stamps illustrated here,
ReplyDeleteI think I have most of the flowers - or at least I have a lot of them.
DeleteA stamp promoting good luck sounds a bit strange to me. But the stamp with the dog is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteoh my, MUCHA!! Now here you have a huugeee Mucha fan!! :D But then being a huge dog lover, cannot decide which one of these two I love better! <3
ReplyDelete