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. 

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. 

Illustrated

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt - Art Illustration

Professor Mumakata Examines the Rosetta Stone (2009)

The British Museum invited the Manga  artist Hashino Yukinobu to take part in a exhibition of his original drawings and manga magazines. His popular character Professor Mumakata is an anthropologist and folklore expert and has had many adventures and mysteries to solve since he was created in 1990. Hashino Yukinobu visited the museum and imagined a story which would take place in the museum and feature some of its famous objects (such as the Rosetta Stone on the card). The professor tries to solve the mystery of the disappearance of the Stonehenge monoliths which happens as he arrives in London.

I and the Village (1911)

Marc Chagall weaves various elements of Eastern European folklore and culture into his memories of his childhood village Vitebsk in Russia (today in Belarus).

Portsmouth Point (1811)

Thomas Rawlinson poking fun at the activities at Portsmouth Point, an area of the harbour famous for its bawdy activity. In 1784 it boasted 53 drinking houses as well as cook shops, clothing sellers, moneylenders, pawnbrokers and trinket sellers. Anything the sailor ashore required was here.. A lot has changed since then as now it is a desirable place of residence.

Happy

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is in A Happy Place - here are some of mine...

Many of my happy times have been on the fells and

in the valleys. Seeing sheep also always makes me happy, silly things.

Wild flower meadows, although I can be just as happy meandering on a footpath through arable fields

Sunrise, East Anglia

A beach of any kind, rocky, sandy, shingle, a calm morning or

a windy day with a  mesmerising sea swell.

Quentin Blake on the roof of  the Harris (2004) as imagined by himself

For indoors enjoyment, the cornucopia of a museum and art gallery combination. This one also has a library which contains the anticipated happiness of a good read. The Harris has been closed since 2022 for refurbishment and reopens in September, hopefully. Always a moment of trepidation visiting a revamp.  On the up side it opens with local boy made good Nick Park's special exhibition "Wallace and Gromit. A Case At The Museum" a celebration of Aardman's animated duo. I'm sure Shaun the Sheep will make an appearance too. Happy Days.

City Break

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt theme of Travel - Getting Around

One Hour To Departure by Wiktor Najbor

Boarding for take off, maybe they are off for a city break, or maybe not, one passenger has a life belt and  another a spade. The crew seem to be doing some running repairs and just the small matter of a wheel needing to be attached.

The Lure of the Underground by Alfred Leete (1927)

It is probably quicker by underground than bus in London although the open top buses are a popular option for sightseers.  In the early 1900s buses with no roofs were the norm rather than a tourist attraction.

 If visiting Lisbon it is said a tram ride is a must and the nostalgic traveller wanting to see 'old Lisbon' from their windows should board one of the historic 'Remodelado' that travel through the cities narrow streets and up steep inclines.  The modern trams carry more people but are confined to the flat sections of the city.

Japan

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt  for A place you would like to visit

Kyoto

so I have chosen Japan, a country with a culture both ancient and modern

Cat looking at fields of Asakusa by Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858)

and maybe I will stay in a house that overlooks the rice fields of Asakusa  that comes with a resident cat, although will have to travel back in time as the closest rice fields to Tokyo today are at Chiba. In the present times the area of Asukusa with its waterfront and temple complex is a popular tourist destination. The woodblock print is from '100 Views of Edo'. It depends on weather conditions and urban haze if a view of Mt Fuji 62 miles (100k) away can be seen from Tokyo.  As I have travelled back in time why not travel in imagination to

Moominland. It looks as though it is Moomintroll's birthday although he has yet to arrive.  Moomin Day is in August (as is my birthday).  We don't know how old Moomintroll is, and Tove Jansson did not say, but wrote in her notebook "He is of that particular age when summers are long, the water warm and new things are constantly happening" Jansson's home in summer was on an island in the Gulf of Finland. I would head further into the Baltic Sea from there to the Åland Islands. I remember reading of an artist who would go there every summer because of the amazing light. Water, light, islands and ferry rides, a true summer delight.

"Visit Aland"

Postcard of the same image Åland issued for the Europa stamp theme of 'Visit' in 2012

Faces

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking at faces

John Hegley, performance poet, comedian, musician (plays the mandolin) and songwriter. T|here will always be audience participation.  This was a postcard promoting his 2004 tour  based on John's visit to Nice in 2001 to paint a scene originally depicted by his French father, Rene, in 1931. "In the show he muses upon the trip, painting generally, throat sweets and blancmange".  A book was published also called The Sound of Paint Drying with poems, sketches, songs, stories and diary entries.

B.B. London Series No 2402

A vintage card from Birn Brothers, untitled.

A modern card, also untitled, by the artist Francis R Martin

I leave you with a racoon.

Home Sweet Home

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking at colourful buildings

The Kadriorg Palace in Estonia, built for Peter the Great in 1718 but after his death as my sender says it "fell to bad times... but a century later its situation changed and the Russian royals started to use it during the summer". When the daughters of Tsar Nicholas I visited in 1832 an illuminated road connecting the palace and the beach, a boat landing, and a bathhouse were built for the occasion.

A more humble abode in suburban Melbourne resplendent in sunshine yellow. The Maxi Card celebrates the art of Howard Arkley (1951-1999)  who was fascinated by the colourful postwar suburbs of Australia.

2003: Australian Paintings

This one even has a lovely patterned wall.

Colourful Animals

 See It on A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is searching for Colourful Animals

The elusive lynx in the colours of the forest by the textile designer Saara Kurkela

Here's looking at you

Japanese porcelain seated tiger c1700 (Bowes Museum)

An alert tiger with some fine stripes.

Take a Seat

 

1989: Royal Visit

A Queen's chair

1997: Danish Design

The Faaborg chair of 1914 design by Kaare Klint (1888-1954)

1999: Furniture

An uncomfortable chair

1996: Endre Nemes (1909-1985)

A surreal chair - "The Baroque Chair" painted by Endre Nemes.  A Hungarian Jew living in Vienna he fled to Sweden (via Finland and Norway) during WW2 and would become a Swedish citizen.

Sunday Stamps theme of - Furniture - more at See It On A Postcard 

Tree time

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking for colourful trees or flowers

The Memorial and Square, Broughton by Martin Collie (1945-2007)

The artist's paint has magically disappeared all the cars that usually park here. The sky is clearing after rain and the chestnut tree is changing into its autumn colours. (Happily we are in May and the chestnut trees are in full flower at the moment). This 18th Century square was built by the Lord of the manor, Gilpin Sawrey influenced by the fashion for squares at the time.  The obelisk was erected in 1810 for the Jubilee of George III.  The yellow building is the popular Manor Arms. A warm log fire in the winter and drinks outside in summer and also today with its pleasant 18℃

The start of autumn by Coniston Water in the Lake District

The Summer Garden, St Petersburg

Golden autumn in Russia

A magical Christmas forest in Finland imagined by Sanna Annukka

Spring Flowers

 Its Spring and See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is in search of gardens

Daffodils and Pewter Jug (1963) by Winifred Nicholson

Winifred Nicholson has just come in from her garden arranged the flowers she has picked and painted them, you can just see the bare bones of a spring garden and colour in the background. This window view with flowers was one of her favourite subjects.

Taking a walk through one of Scarborough's gardens on the esplanade and its bold municipal planting. The lady on the right has come colour coordinated for daffodil season. Both the clock and shadows tell us it is midday. The clock tower was built in 1911 for George V's coronation and has recently undergone major renovations.

Famous Women

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt in search of famous women..

Bridget Riley, part of the zeitgeist of the 1960s, born in 1931 and still painting. Her mesmerising optical illusions in black and white were part of the Op Art movement. She became the first female winner of the International paintings prize at the 1968 Venice Biennale. 

Her long fascination with Seurat's 'Bathers at  Asnieres' and a visit to Egypt in 1979 where she experienced its light and contrast  of colours  together with the use of colour in Egyptian hieroglyphs inspired her to use colour in her paintings which she found less predictable than black and white.

The photo is one of series taken by Ida Kar in 1963, who was known for her many black and white portraits of artists and writers.

Maggie Gripenberg (1881-1976) well wrapped up  the against the coastal breeze and although seen here painting she was a dancer, choreographer and teacher. A pioneer of modern dance she also introduced eurhythmics to Finland.

Reading

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt is concentrating on reading or handwork..

Girl Reading - Harold Knight (1931)

Reading, a pastime for all seasons. Winter or

The Beach at Trouville - Claude Monet (1870)

 

Summer.  In terms of comfort I'd plump for the well appointed chaise longue

Relax its a blast

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is looking for women relaxing

Hula hooping, stairs optional, but what better way to make an entrance.

Nana Téte de Fleurs by Niki de Saint Phille (1971)

Dancing.  The feminist artist Niki de Saint Phille (1930-2002) produced a lot of large scale Nana papier mache sculptures mostly representing the modern women enjoying herself. Nana (French slang for girl) also appeared in two dimensional media, in this instance on wallpaper.  In the early 1970s one of the oldest wallpaper manufacturers in Europe, Marburger Tapetenfabrik, approached a diverse group of international artists to reflect the times. They wanted the wallpaper to be ornamental not just as a background for other objects. They got their wish from Niki de Saint Phille.  The series was called XArt Walls.