On March 5, UkrPoshta launched a limited edition of the Ukrainian stamps in the nude genre from the series “Her Majesty a Womanâ€. The stamps were designed with the works of Taras Shevchenko "Odalisque" from the funds of the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko and the Ukrainian contemporary artist Andrey Chebykin "Energy II" from the funds of the National Art Museum of Ukraine. The circulation of each stamp is 130 thousand copies.
The team of Ukrposhta believes that the new series of stamps will not only replenish the collections of Ukrainian philatelists, becoming one of the most popular exquisite and spicy exhibits, but also add artistic aesthetics to postal items. After all, female beauty, carried through the ages and depicted by the most outstanding artists, is able to enchant and inspire to write a few sincere lines by hand.
The highlight of this spring postal issue will be an unusual collaboration between the national postal operator and the famous Ukrainian brand OLIZ, which will release a new collection of women's silk scarves, inspired by the works of Kobzar and the beauty of postage stamps. Part of the proceeds from the sale of this collection will be directed to the development of the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko.
Stamps, envelopes and cards of the series "Her Majesty a Woman" were designed in cooperation with the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko and the National Art Museum of Ukraine. One of the stamps is decorated with a painting by Taras Shevchenko "Odalisque", painted in 1840 in St. Petersburg.
The author builds a composition in the format of a tondo (circle) with an etching needle, the strokes of which, close to engraving with a chisel, especially in the interpretation of body shapes, full of strength, charm and beauty, give the work monumentality. The drawing is brought to virtuosity, the lines are oblique, straight, rounded, wavy, intricately intertwined, as if in a mess, but gaining the desired shape - alive and dynamic. With the help of step-by-step etching from dark places to light ones, it achieves the contrast of light and shadow effects, carefully develops perspective in a closed space, gives volume to the image. The etching has carefully worked out details: folds of bed linen, a pillow with a tassel and an ornament.
The envelope for the issue presents another work by Taras Hryhorovych - "Bathsheba", written in 1860. The second postage stamp in the nude genre reproduces the work "Energy II", written in 1991 by our contemporary Andriy Chebykin - a graphic artist, winner of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine. The envelope to the stamp features an illustration for the collection "Fallen Leaves" by Ivan Franko by Andriy Chebykin.
Taras Shevchenko. Bathsheba. Paper, etching, aquatint (36.2 × 27.1 cm). [St.Petersburg]. [Not later than 30.V] 1860. Taras Shevchenko National Museum.
Right below the image – engraved signature and the date by Shevchenko hand, which was not present on the Briullov's original: Karl Briullov. 1831. Left below the image engraved by his hand: Engraved Shevchenko. 1860.
Etching made from a photo of Karl Briullov work, presented to Shevchenko by Moscow collector K. T. Soldatenkov in Moscow in 1859.
The original painting is now owned by the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
Part of the profits taken from the selling of this collection will be given for the development of the National Museum of Taras Shevchenko.
UkrPoshta
Number of stamps in one stamp sheet - 9 (3x3). Circulation of each stamp is 130,000 copies. The cost of a stamp sheet is UAH 81.00, an envelope - UAH 4, cards - UAH 4. The cost of envelopes with special redemption and card amounts is UAH 18.80.
