Issue date: 31 Oct, 2005
The Christmas 2005 issue is made up of two stamps: one depicting a classic painting of Francisco Ribalta “La adoración de los pastores“ and the other a modern artwork by Pablo García Lopez, known as “Alexis” allusive to the three Kings (the Reyes Magos). In this Christmas issue, as in previous ones, the pictorial technique is taken into account and there is one classic and one modern painting.
The Adoración de los Reyes by Francisco Ribalta (Solsona 1565 - Valencia 1628), is kept in the sacristy of the basilica of San Jaime Apostol in Algemesí and is depicted on the 0,28 € stamp. The painting features the Virgin with the baby Jesus on her knees, being worshipped by one of the Kings whilst the other two stand by Saint Joseph in the background. This wonderful masterpiece together with the Adoración de los Pastores were part of a set of 19 paintings of the main altarpiece of the Algemesi basilica. The altarpiece was made during Ribalta’s stay in Valencia. The Adoración de los Pastores is an oil painting on canvas made in around 1604, of a mannerist style and of Italian influence. Ribalta, who began painting in the mannerist style, gradually progressed onto the tenebrous baroque.
The stamp of 0,53 € depicts a painting by artist Pablo García López, known as “Alexis”, and features the three kings with their gold, incense and myrrh. Alexis was born in Zaragoza in 1969 where he went to art school. His paintings constantly depict unreal and surrealist characters whose physical and anatomical features are closer to the primitive and animal world than to humans. Since he began painting, he has done both landscapes and characters, and in these latter is where he has obtained widespread recognition. From the early nineties t o this day he has shown his work in various individual and collective gallery exhibitions.
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