A resumption… maps, books and a love letter!

Some recent snail mail…

827 - What better place to resume posting than with a handwritten Love Letter from about 1900 from my Austrian friend Renate?

912 - This is a Ukrainian post-box, courtesy of Julia (postcrossing UA-747921).

 It had this beautoful stamps on it.

927 – A card sent by Dai Li from China shows Joseph Roulin, a French postman, by Van Gogh.   

The Roulin Family is group of portrait paintings Vincent van Gogh executed in Arles in 1888 and 1889 on Joseph, his wife Augustine and their three children: Armand, Camille and Marcelle. This series is unique in many ways. Although Van Gogh loved to paint portraits, it was difficult for financial and other reasons for him to find models. So, finding an entire family that agreed to sit for paintings, in fact for several sittings each was a bounty.  Joseph Roulin became a particularly good, loyal and supporting friend to Van Gogh during his stay in Arles.

Here are some more US state maps I have received recently –

566 - Arizona from my friend Carol in Washington.

581 – New Mexico, also from Carol - this is one of my favourite State maps.

 718 – New Mexico from Sarilyn who lives in Texas but has a holiday home in New Mexico. (Postcrossing US-2304232)

661 - Oregon from my friend Arianne who also loves in Washington - another good example of the State map that shows what goes in the different parts of the State.

830 – Oregon from JarieLyn, a friend from Las Vegas

889 – My lovely Belarusian friend Mish had a holiday in Turkey -

887 - And Mish can have a walk here in this park in Minsk during her breaks at work - 

And I have acquired two new friends who have sent me lots of cards – Damien in France and Dai Li in China.  I shall feature some of their contributions soon.

Meanwhile here are some books -

736 - from Viktoria in Voronezh in Russia  (postcrossing RU-1816704)

748 - from Heleen in The Netherlands - a picture of Emile Zola by Edouard Manet -

 

772 - from my friend Danielle in Nebraska who is one of my most regular postcard swappers and who always seems to find exactly the right card for me.    This is 'Girl reading in a sunlit room' by Carl Holsoe (1863-1935).

809 - From Anastasia in Belarus came this postcard by contemporary artist Pino. 

Pino Daeni (November 8, 1939 – May 25, 2010) was an Italian Impressionist book illustrator and artist. He is known for his style of feminine, romantic women and strong men painted with loose but accurate brushwork. Considered one of the highest paid book illustrators of his time, he created over 3,000 book covers, movie posters and magazine illustrations.

These were the wonderful stamps Anastasia found for me.

860 - Another "reading" card from Daniell.  She and I have noted that there are very few pictures of men reading compared to those of women.  And those of men tend to be newspapers rather than books.

 

934 - from Jean-Michel (postcrossing FR - 318375) came this one 

I loved all the stickers and stamps he used on the back ...

935 - Jonnukka from Finland (postcrossing FI-1872109) sees me drinking a coffee and reading a book.  Fairly accurate.  That's what I'm off to do now before bed.....

See you soon...