COVER N. 324 - BELGIUM 

Postmark:Namur 22.09.2023

Posted on the 22nd September; received on the 27th September 2023

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Wow, a stamp album page on an envelope? Man, what a treat! 

I did not have to see the sender's address on the back of the envelope to know that this was another of Eric's fantastic letters. This time from Belgium... If Alex is the Phantom, the Ghost who walks, then Eric has got to be somehow related to the old Flying Dutchman tale for he's all over the place too, from the Caribbean to Africa, from Asia to Europe. 

Thanks a lot, Eric. It's always a pleasure to receive your stamp laden letters.

The Arts and Europe, these could be the main descriptors for the stamps on the cover, given that six off the stamps ar arts related while another three are Europa issues. The remaining one although not being an Europa issue, is  quite European in its content since it celebrates European cooperation in the field of nuclear power through EUROATOM, one of the institutions that were at the root of the European Community in 1965.

In more detail:

The first two stamps are part of a set of four, all denominated at 17 Belgium Francs, issued on 07MAR1998, dedicated to Art in Belgium. 

The top one is illustrated with a fresco painting by expressionist painter Gustave van de Woestijne  (1881 – 1947), entitled Hospitality to Strangers, where he portrayed himself inviting a stranger  to his home. The painting can be seen at the Museum voor Schone Kunsten, in Gent.

Félicien Rops (1833 - 1898) was a prolific painter, caricaturist, illustrator and printmaker whose work is also associated with some of the best known literary figures of his time, whose works he illustrated, like Malarmé or Baudelaire, to cite just two.

He was also known for his explicit erotic and satiric illustrations. 

Hard as I tried, I could not find any information regarding the painting which is replicated in the stamp.

Peace and Welfare through Agriculture and Industry was the theme for the CEPT stamps of 1957. The two stamps on the cover with face values of 2 and 4 Belgian Francs constitute the Belgian issue, which began to circulate on 16SEP1957.

The stamps are illustrated with six corn ears  over  a bridge and what presumably is a manufacturing plant of some kind, the corn ears representing peace and prosperity.

Peter Paul Rubens (1577 – 1640) ... now, Brussels Royal ancient art museum has loads of outstanding masterpieces but what I recall the most from my visiting it quite a few years ago were the rooms full of gigantic paintings by the Flemish master full of rosy fatty cherubins and  beautifully, sensually, detailed bodies, irrespective of the religious or mythological nature of the paintings, all bathed by a gorgeous light that emphasised forms and colours. 

One of the great baroque masters, Peter Paul Rubens was born in Siegen, present day Germany, but moved to Antwerp, in today's Belgium when was only 12. There he would also finish his days, at the age of 62.

Marking the 400th anniversary of his birth on 04SEP1976,  La Poste, now BPost, issued a six stamp set (4,50 + 1,5; 2 x (6,50 + 3); 2 x (10+5); 30+15 Franc) with reproductions of details from paintings by the master, two of which Eric used on the cover:  the stamp on the left is illustrated with a  detail taken form “Madonna and the Child” which can be seen in St. James Church in Antwerp while the one on the right presents a powerful detail image of “The Descent from the Cross”, which can also be seen in Antwerp, this time in the city's Cathedral.

EURATOM is one of the institutions that started the European dream.... come to think of it, it is funny to think that the European Community was initially fuelled by nuclear power....

Established in 1957 by the EURATOM treaty signed by Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands, it sought to safely develop nuclear energy in Europe, not only for self-consumption but also for exporting any surplus energy to other non-member European states.

On 08NOV1961, La Poste issued a three stamp set dedicated to cooperation in EURATOM, illustrated with images of two of Belgium's Nuclear Reactors located in Mol: BR2, for the 40 centimes stamp, on the cover, and BR3 for the 3 and 6 Francs.

Going back to the arts,  Henri Vieuxtemps (1820 - 1881) was a Belgian virtuoso violinist and composer from the Romantic Period. He was also famous for owning and playing a Guarneri violin, which would also be later be played by such skilful and genial hands as those of Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman or Pinchas Zukerman.

Anton Bergmann (1835 – 1874) was a Flemish writer and historian, who was born in Lier. 

The two illustrious Belgian figures we included in the four stamp set (4+2; 5+2,5; 7+3,5; 10+5 Franc) issued by La Poste on 06APR1974,  dedicated to Belgium Cultural Celebrities. The set was completed with two stamps paying hommage to painters Armand Jammar (1870-1946) and James Ensor (1860-1949).

The theme for the 1983 CEPT/Europa stamps was Great Achievements of Human Genius. The Belgium issue, which began to circulate on 14MAY1983, comprised two stamps (11 and 20 Franc) illustrated with reproductions of details from paintings by Belgian master Paul Delvaux (1897-1994), “L'homme de la rue” (the man in the street) and “Le train du soir” (the evening train) respectively.

The postmarks were very difficult to read  but the use of a magnifier let me conclude that the letter was mailed from Namur.