After the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in December 1921, the urgent desire for the fledgling Irish state to – literally – stamp its credentials was achieved by overprinting George V stamps with ‘Rialtas Sealadaċ na hÉireann 1922’ (‘Provisional Government of Ireland 1922’). The first actual postage stamp issued by the Irish Free State, in December 1922, was the twopenny green, designed by James Ingram, showing a map of Ireland without a border.
Themes of tradition and modernity in stamp design over the past hundred years reveal the shifting political and cultural contours of Irish history. While religious themes and national heroes such as Daniel O’Connell (designed by Leo Whelan) feature, other designs mark nation-building projects such as the Shannon Hydro-Electric Scheme in 1930 (by Edward Lawrenson). More recent designs range from fine art and Irish writers to pop culture, such as a Philip Treacy hat (by Ger Garland), Phil Lynott (by Steve Averill and Jim FitzPatrick) and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the comedy series Father Ted.
‘Miniature Masterpieces’ at the National Print Museum in Beggars Bush in Dublin, running until early May, includes a wide selection of Irish stamps from the past century, as well as original artwork, design proofs and printing plates. ‘At first glance a stamp is just an everyday object in the corner of a letter,’ says An Post archivist and the exhibition curator Stephen Ferguson. ‘But on closer inspection, it’s a work of art, a symbol of identity and a unique prism through which we can view and reflect on the formation and development of the Irish state.’
The exhibition offers a unique insight into the combined skills of artists, designers, engravers and printers in creating a functional object that is also a visual masterpiece on a tiny canvas. Just as the telegram and telephone kiosk have vanished, the traditional postage stamp may one day disappear; but, unlike a digital stamp, which lacks visual charm, these printed artifacts are cultural ambassadors, winging their way to letterboxes worldwide.
Stephanie McBride
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