"Krakow Nativity Scenes" on Polish Post stamps
On January 5th of this year, Poczta Polska, in cooperation with the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow, introduced commemorative stamps depicting the works of the winners of the Krakow Nativity Scenes Competition.
The Krakow Nativity Scene Competition is a unique event. It is judged annually by a distinguished jury consisting of historians, ethnographers, art historians, architects, and visual artists. In 2014, the competition was recognized and added to the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The tradition of making nativity scenes is also the first Polish entry on the UNESCO list.
"The Polish Post Office, through its philatelic issue of 'Krakow Nativity Scenes,' is highlighting the richness of our cultural heritage. Folk art is a great asset that deserves appreciation and recognition. With this new stamp, we express our admiration for the uniqueness of Krakow folklore," emphasizes Daniel Witowski, spokesperson for the Polish Post Office.
The postage stamp, issued in three versions, depicts multi-level, richly decorated religious buildings constructed from lightweight materials. They are characterized by imaginatively recreated and interconnected miniature elements of Krakow's historic architecture, with a Christmas scene as the backdrop.
The illustrative section of the stamps includes the issue title, "Krakow Nativity Scenes," the authors, and a photo of the winning nativity scenes. The three versions of the stamps are also accompanied by an envelope featuring a graphic of Krakow's Main Market Square and a date stamp featuring a star.
The nativity scenes on the stamps were created by Józef Madej, Kazimierz Stopiński, and Zbigniew Gillert. All of the winning works featured are from the Krakow Nativity Scene Competition, which took place in 2021. The stamps were designed by Joanna Fleszar-Haspert.
The "Krakow Nativity Scenes" philatelic issue is not the first initiative of Poczta Polska promoting Polish folk art and culture. On December 8, 2022, the Łódź Post Office hosted the official opening of an exhibition of nativity scenes created by 30 popular Polish folk artists. In previous years, the company has dedicated its issues to the decoration of Easter eggs, including Łowicz-style veneers, Kashubian krszanki, Lipsko, Lemko, and Lublin krszanki.
About the stamp:
Author of the stamp design: Joanna Fleszar-Haspert
Number of stamps: 3
Value: PLN 3.90 each
Circulation: 120,000 pcs of each stamp
Printing technique: offset
Stamp format: 31.25 x 51 mm
Paper: fluorescent
Sales sheet: 6 stamps
Date of introduction into circulation: 05.01.2023
