Sunday 30 September 2018

German Genius

1983: Europa - Inventions (Design - Jünger)

An alphabet for the alphabet round of Sunday Stamps. Here is a celebration of moveable type, or as the stamp says, the 'Invention of the Art of Printing' 

It features a modern letter A against the background of the historic letters of the printing revolution by Johannes Gutenberg.
The other genius chosen for this stamp set of inventions was Heinrich Hertz and the discovery of electromagnetic waves.  The card shows his experimental Oscillator.  At the end are two hollow zinc spheres. The spheres are connected to copper wires which run into the middle where there is a gap for the sparks to jump between.
Hertz's experiment proved that radio waves and light waves were part of the same family , which today we call the electromagnetic spectrum. Hertz said "I do not think the wireless waves I have detected will have any practical application". He wouldn't live to see that statement disproved. The stamp shows a representation and image of the electric field lines.
2007: 270th Birth of Carl Gotthard Langhans (Design - Paul Effert)
The iconic Brandenburg Gate which has appeared on many German stamps. Designed by the prolific architect Carl Gotthard Langhans, self taught and influenced by Roman architecture he introduced Neoclassical architecture into Germany.
2011: German Paintings (Design - Werner Han Schmidt)
Lastly Casper David Friedrich's most famous painting 'The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog' which can be seen in the Kunsthalle, Hamburg. The stamp is part of the 'German Painting' series which started in 2005, a new one published each year all designed by Werner Hans Schmidt.


Sunday Stamps II prompt this week is the Letter G - for Germany, Gutenberg, and Gottard - go to See It On A Postcard

7 comments:

Ana said...

a genius way of thinking for today's letter! That printing stamp is sooo cool!

FinnBadger said...

Your double G for today's update is very clever - and a great mini-collection of stamps.

agi said...

so many Gs here! esp like the painting as it is very atmospheric

Mail Adventures said...

I always learn a lot from your Sunday Stamps posts!
The design of these stamps is very clever.

violet s said...

I've just looked up C D Friedrich - his paintings definitely have a theme with a recognizable style.
The Gutenberg stamp is interesting - and such a difficult font to read.

Maria said...

Love that Heinrich Hertz stamp!

Bob Scotney said...

I remember studying Hertz's work at university - but have forgotten everything I learnt. Fascinated by the stamps you have shown today.