SPEND £50 GET £5 OFF : WSXA - 25116
SPEND £150 GET £20 OFF : WSXB - 25532
ENTER CODES AT CHECKOUT
Shipping: Shipping fees start from GBP £6.91

Joint Issue Of Postage Stamps, Romania-Morocco, Popular Art

Set
GBP £2.42
First Day Cover
GBP £7.60
Full sheets
GBP £67.70
About Joint Issue Of Postage Stamps, Romania-Morocco, Popular Art

Romfilatelia introduces into circulation on Tuescday, May 21st this year, a new joint issue of postage stamps Romania - Morocco, having as theme Folk art. The issue consists of two postage stamps and 1 "first day" cover.

The common topics, chosen by the two countries, are the presence of ancient traditions, preserved and promoted in the design of folk costumes and ceramic and porcelain objects.

The postage stamp, with a face value of Lei 4, shows a picture containing a Romanian blouse (”ia”) of Vâlcea and an object of Horezu pottery.

The traditional costume of Vâlcea is one of the most refined and varied. The basic piece, the long shirt or ”ia”, is tailored in the Carpathian style with cloth sheets tied on the band around the neck. In the literature this piece is described as a spectacular piece, impressing both with the decoration that extends across the sleeves, chest, neck and back and the lavish material used.

On December 1st, 2022 „The art of the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder (altiţă) — an element of cultural identity in Romania and the Republic of Moldova” was included on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (UNESCO).

Horezu ceramics is distinguished by the elegance and beauty of its shapes. The masters of Horezu ceramics are famous all over the world. Their skills in combining decoration and colour determine the personality and uniqueness of these pieces. The colours are bright shades of brown, red, green, blue and the so-called "Horezu yellow". Perhaps the best-known motif is the Coconut, which has become the trademark of this pottery. Alongside this motif, other symbols can also be seen on the objects made by the craftsmen, such as the pupa, fish, the house snake, the tree of life, wheat ears, the spiral, rose buds, the leaf, the peacock's tail, flowers, grapes, the traditional house, the sun or religious motifs such as the cross or the roadside cross.

The decision to include the technique of traditional Horezu ceramics on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2012 is a recognition of hundreds of years of unaltered tradition.

The postage stamp with a face value of Lei 10 shows a picture of a "Khrib" caftan typical of the city of Fes in Morocco and an object made of Fes porcelain.

The material from which the caftan is made, brocade is one of the most remarkable fabrics made by Moroccan craftsmen. Its intricate, polychrome, embossed motifs are very similar to embroidery. It is the result of an ancestral weaving technique that has almost completely disappeared. The creation of this fabric involves the participation of the "derraz", "zardkhani" craft weaver.

Once known as "zardkhan", a Persian word meaning "cloth of kings", brocade took on a new name in the 20th century: "Khrib". The word "Khrib" means "ruin" because brocade was so expensive that it ruined families' wallets.

As for decorative Moroccan ceramics, for furniture, they were of high quality: considered one of the most refined products, they occupied an important place among royal gifts. Ceramic objects were wheel-worked by men in urban workshops in the towns of Fes, Meknes, Sale and Safi. But it was in Fes, the city of art par excellence, that the industry flourished and potters settled in Meknes and later in Safi.

There are two varieties of glaze-painted ceramics: monochrome, usually blue, and polychrome, in shades of blue, brown, green and yellow. In the oldest works, a decoration of great purity can be seen, often featuring trees.

Moroccan ceramics take several forms, each corresponding to a specific function, i.e. decorative, for important festive occasions, including weddings, collectibles, etc.

Romfilatelia thanks the representatives of the "Dimitrie Gusti" National Village Museum, the counterparts of the Poste Maroc and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Bucharest for the beautiful collaboration in the creation of this postage stamp issue.