Thematic : Umbrellas On Stamps.

Émile Bernard (1868-1941) was a French artist and engraver who experimented with various styles of painting during his life. He knew other artists of the times such as Toulouse-Loutrec and especially VanGogh. He is also known for his writings on artistic style and history. "Breton Women with Umbrellas", Museum d'Orsay, 1892. Minisheet Maldives 2015.

Three Monks strolling through the magnificent ruins of the royal city of Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Tourism stamp 2017

The Takayama Matsuri Festival of Japan features huge intricately decorated and brightly colored floats as well as parading folks in exquisite costumes. Twice a year, in mid-April and the beginning of October. stamp of 2009

Hello Alexey, You found another Utagawa Hiroshige III (1842-1894) painting - he painted so many everyday Japanese scenes. We have several on the thread and they are always full of colorful detail. I think yours is of people going to a festival in their finery. The painting of the Ladies in Red was done at the Kinryuzan Temple in Tokyo.

And here's another one of Hiroshige's paintings on a stamp, even one with a bridge. The umbrellas are tiny, but they are there.

Another painting by Hiroshige, a lady struggling along in the snow with her big umbrella. Stamp for the letter writing week, 1997. (correction to yesterday's posted dates: Hiroshige was born in 1797 and died in 1858, two of his pupils adopted the name Hiroshige, II and III)

Sc# 1351 1972 French History : Amazing and Marvellous.

La petit parasol.

Gentlemen wearing the fashionable pointy "poulains" on their feet, A fashion I went through in the 1970's....The "winkle pickers"...sigh.

Hi Rod, You beat me to it! I have been keeping this great engraved stamp ready to go but couldn't decide on whether to add it to the umbrella thread or to the hands. If you count the fingers on the gentleman's right hand you might see why and the fine lady doesn't seem to have a firm grip on her umbrella. And is his mouth tied up for some reason? He doesn't look happy about it. Decaris must have had a grand time making fun of figures like these. I haven't found an original drawing from which he might have copied.

(I had to look up winkle pickers; they look as if one might be prone to stumbling when wearing them, especially with high heels. But their history sure is fun.)

Kris.
Well spotted. We shall digress a moment.

French "Poulain"
(A fashion statement to indicate wealth, apparently not good for walking upstairs)
"Beatle boots" were always my favourite shoe, must have worn out at least 3 pairs.



Another engraving with six fingers.

The Great Wedding ceremony, Arusi, is a festival in Mayotte in which a couple reaffirms their original wedding with a grand feast. The celebration affirms their social position in a way that is specific to the local culture. These ceremonies provide an opportunity for entertainment (music and dance), as well as social interaction. Here the umbrellas are symbols of status.

Hi Rod, Of course I know the Roosevelt stamp, being a collector of hands. The fun of detail. K.

The bridegroom looks a bit concerned about approaching rain, but the couple have a big umbrella. Part of the set of stamps called "The 10 best of the Netherlands" (see another couple on page 2.)

The royal Maldives umbrellas, made of fine and colorful materials, are very different from the ones along the beaches. 1979. Part of the royal family in an old photograph I found on the web.

Remember the beach umbrellas at Deauville? (page 19) The beach at Trouville at the coast of Normandy also has them. All tied up during off-season and spread out in the summer. Stamp part of the Normandy set, 2012, issued for the French post by Philapostel.

And this is the new stamp, again showing the wrapped up umbrellas on the beach of Deauville at off-season. Part of the set of 8 tourism stamps, 2018.

The small island of Mayotte, (a small outpost of France) not far from Madagascar, has a beautiful beach called N'Gouja. There are large deciduous trees at the beach, somewhat unusual because in that part of the world palm trees are more frequently seen. Note also the sea turtle coming ashore.