Famous

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt for Famous People

'Magic of the Movies Series'

"They had a date with fate in Casablanca". I've lost count of how many times I have watched Casablanca. Most of the witty and often quoted dialogue was actually written day to day with none of the actors knowing until the final day of shooting how it was  going to end. The film was premiered in NY November 1942 (just after the Allies landed in North Africa ) with theatrical releases in January 1943. (Behind the Fog 10 surprising film facts)

A young Charles Dickens painted by his lifelong friend Daniel Maclise in 1839 when Dickens would have been 27. Pickwick Papers had been published in 1836 and in 1839 he had two monthly serializations running concurrently of Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. Many of Maclise's paintings were based on literary sources both ancient and modern. He also worked as an illustrator for Frasers Magazine and illustrated works by Dickens and Tennyson among others. The two friends would both die in the same year (1870), Dickens worn out with work and travel at 57 and Maclise of acute pneumonia. Maclise was born in Ireland (Cork) so lets visit his homeland with a royal couple 

'Queen Elizabeth II ad Prince Philip on their historic State Visit to the Republic of Ireland 2011'

being shown the art of pouring a perfect pint of Guinness although both declined the opportunity to drink it, there may have been some Irish banter at this point.

Faroe

 

1981: Europa - Folklore

Faroese Folk Dancing

1983: Fish

Fish - Cusk (Bosme brosme), a cod like fish, the only fish in its genus and a Haddock

Atlantic Halibut and an Atlantic Wolf-fish, a natural anti-freeze runs in its blood.

2015: SEPAC - Knitted Art

Something to keep ones fingers warm and admire the art and versatility of wool (warm even when wet).  When the textile artist Randi Samsonsen knitted these objects and designed  the stamp she was looking forward to using it on her mail.

Sunday Stamps A-Z - In the Faroe Islands - find more at See It On A Postcard

Peril

 See It on A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt - Legends and Children's Stories

I imagine there are lots of legends abut the sea in Brittany. This one features L'Ankou de la Mer. The card shows the stretch of sea between Pointe du Raz and Isle de Sein which has always been a place of danger for sailors. If a boat in these parts encountered 'Bag Noz' (boat of the night) it was sign of imminent death. The first drowned person of the year became Ankou of the Sea, and took the place of the captain of the sinister boat. The Bag Noz could appear at any moment but disappeared as soon as anyone tried to approach it. It was especially important not to try to follow it because it led directly to the reefs, which are numerous.

This is a Winnie the Pooh story of when Seven Acres Wood flooded. Pooh bear took his honey up to a branch of a tree and stayed there until on the fourth day there was nothing left. The chapter is called  'In Which Piglet is Entirely  Surrounded by Water'. Pooh spots Piglets message in a bottle asking for help, it looks like a honey jar so that gets Pooh bear down from the tree.

Rescuing Tigger from a pine tree using Christopher Robin's tunic from the chapter of The House At Pooh Corner In Which It is shown that Tigger's Don't Climb Trees

E is for Equestrian

 

1972: Olympic Games, Munich, Germany

Post war Olympic riders gaining gold Medals in Eventing, Individual Jumping and Dressage

 

Show Jumping, Individual Dressage and Team Eventing

Individual Show Jumping

1979: Horse Racing Paintings and the 200th anniversary of The Derby

More horses but on English race courses. Mahmoud had a very successful career. Sir Alfred Munnings painted him for his owner the Aga Khan after his first Epson Derby win when the horse set  a record time that would stand until 1995. Munnings enjoyed painting Mahmoud, a much loved horse for his character. 

Newmarket in Suffolk is known as the birthplace of English horse racing The panting is by J N Satorius.

The first official running of the Grand National in 1839 at the Aintree Racecourse, the painting shows the jumping of Beecher's Brook. The jockey Captain Martin Beecher was in second place in 1839 when his horse hit the brook fence catapulting him into the water, he wisely headed to deep water for safety. After the race he remarked how dreadful water tasted without the benefit of whisky. The fence has been know as Beecher's Brook ever since.

Sunday Stamps A-Z - My E for Equatorial Guinea, England, Epson Derby and Equestrian

Fine Food

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt - Food (or plants)

A visit to the delicatessen

Russian Cuisine - Margarita Tkachenko  

Something for the cooler months. The postcard was sent from Tomsk, Siberia whose 'weather changes very quickly". The writer said she regularly cooks borsch which "combines perfectly with fresh onions, garlic and sour cream", as the card confirms.

 The highly sought after cloudberry, sometimes referred to as Arctic Gold.

 

Strawberries - Wijnand Warendorf (2012)

 

Another delicious summer berry by the realist painter Wijnand Warendorf. 

Dancers

 

1959-1965: The Copenhagen Festivals

Here Margrethe Shanne (1921-2014) dances in the ballet "La Sylphide", which she performed over 100 times, loved because of the ethereal and supernatural feeling she brought to the role.  The first Danish ballet dancer to appear on a stamp it was issued for three of  the Music and Ballet Festivals in May 1959, 1962 and 1965.

1976: 5th International Ballet Festival, Havana

Canto Vital (Vital Song), not one I am familiar with but apparently it is danced to the rondo of Mahler's 5th symphony and choreographed for male dancers. From one ballet dancer

1989: Ballet - The Art of Dance

to two

and four.

1979: Birth Centenary of Jacob Gade

For non professional ballet dancers but mere mortals this may be one of the ways to dance.  The stamp celebrates the  music of Jacob Gade (1879-1963) famous for his tango 'Jealousy', originally an instrumental but the lyrics we know today were created at a later date.

Sunday Stamps A-Z - here for Denmark and dance - See It On A Postcard 

Animals Illustrated

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt - Illustrated Animals

One of Dick Bruna's alphabet cards and of course M is for Miffy

Frog by Matsumoto Hoji

Matsumoto Hoji was active in the late 18th Century. Little is known about him but must have been well known in the past as his frogs appeared in the 'Meika Gafu', a compendium of famous artworks and artists published in 1814.

Illustration - Jackie Morris from The Lost Words book

A frog almost hidden by a Lady Fern on what looks like a misty morning by the pond. From frog

to a dog in summertime.