NATIONAL GALLERY OF ZIMBABWE Issued 14th April 1988

(Extracts from Philatelic Bureau Bulletin No 2 of 1988)2

This issue was released, a little late, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, in Harare.

An exciting movement and development of contemporary sculpture and painting started in the late 1940s. In 1957, the National Gallery of Zimbabwe opened its doors with Mr Frank McEwen as the Director. In the same year, a Workshop School was started within the Gallery building where artistic activity and sculpture were encouraged and developed, using soapstone and serpentine. The National Gallery collects, and provides space to exhibit, the finest of visual art both traditional and contemporary, and sets standards of excellence for the nation and international visitors to see and emulate.

The stamps depict a wide range of art from the permanent collection of the Gallery

15c: Cockerel Welded Metal: 76 x 69cm. Arthur Azevedo was born in Harare in 1935. He trained as a teacher and went to Rome in 1956 with the intention of becoming a Roman Catholic priest. At that time, he was interested in painting and during the holidays he painted in the Castelli Romani and Alban Hills Region. He returned to Zimbabwe in 1962 and, as a result of lack of satisfaction as a painter, he diverted his interest to sculpture in 1963. His subjects are mainly animals. This work was purchased by the National Gallery in 1969.

23c: Man Turning into a Hippo Black Serpentine: 149 x 65cm

Bernard Matemera was born at Guruve. During his youthful years he herded cattle and made clay figures. At school he excelled at wood carving. Whilst working on a tobacco labour contract he was attracted to Tengenenge sculpture group. Bernard's subjects are derived from people and animals that he has seen in the past. In his imagination the characteristics of these beings are selected and greatly magnified and put together as grotesque human/animal forms of great vitality and classical proportions embodying grossly distended lips, bulging eyes, horns, gigantic body, feet with two or three toes, standing in attitudes that defy gravity. His sculpture was included in an exhibition that toured the United States of America and in an exhibition held in India where he won first prize. This work was acquired by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in 1986.

~ 1 ~

30c: Spirit Python Brown Serpentine: 26 x 47 cm Henry Munyaradzi was born in Guruve in the north of Zimbabwe in 1931. He spent his childhood herding cattle and hunting and was deprived of any opportunity of attending school. He worked in the European farming community as carpenter, hunter and tobacco grader. By chance, he stumbled upon the fast-developing art community - 'Tengenenge' — established by Tom Blomfield. His innate talent in sculpture was quickly apparent. He is entirely self- taught, developed his own ideas and his unique style. Henry's art is characterised by the unique, large but flattish sculpture, and is avidly sought after by collectors worldwide. He is recognised as one of the foremost masters of "Shona Sculpture". He has exhibited in major art centres in the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Musee Rodin in Paris. His work was acquired by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in 1984.

35c: Spirit Bird Carrying People Brown Serpentine: 48 x 74cm

Thomas Mukarobgwa was born in Rusape in 1924. He joined the staff of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in 1957, and is currently Head Attendant of the Gallery. He showed an interest in art and was encouraged to try his hand at painting. When the workshop school of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe was opened to develop the talents of local artists, ne joined as the first member. His expressionistic painting of rural scenes, and sculptures depicting people with spirit beings, have made him a leading figure in the contemporary art movement in Zimbabwe. His works have been purchased by leading collectors throughout the world, and have been exhibited at the Commonwealth Arts Festival, "Contemporary African Art" and many other centres. This sculpture was purchased in 1979.

38c: The Song of the Herd Boy Acrylic Painting: 51 x 61 cm

George Nene was trained at the Mzilikazi Arts and Crafts Centre, Bulawayo, where he is currently a teacher. He went into exile in Botswana during the war of Independence and later returned to Zimbabwe. He has exhibited in many individual and group shows in Zimbabwe and Botswana and he won the Corps of Diplomats Award for 'Young Artists of Promise' in the National Gallery's Annual Baringa/Nedlaw "Zimbabwe Heritage" Exhibition in 1986. This painting was acquired by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in 1986

~ 2 ~

45c: War Victim Black Serpentine: 67 x 44cm

Joseph Muzondo was born and educated in Masvingo. He lectures at ZIMFEP in Bulawayo. He is one of the first graduates from the National Gallery's B.A.T. Workshop. In 1983 he joined ZIMFEP and subsequently was sent to Tanzania for six months to study Textile Design. He also attended a Summer Academy in Austria, studying etching. He has participated in group exhibitions in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Mozambique, Zambia and extensively in Zimbabwe. This work was purchased by the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in 1982.

Catalogue listings

SG ZSC1 Value Description

728 155 15c ‘Cockerel’ – Arthur Azevedo 729 156 23c ‘Man turning into a Hippo’ – Bernard Matemera 730 157 30c ‘Spirit Python’ – Henry Munyaradzi 731 158 35c ‘Spirit Bird Carrying People’ – Thomas Mukarobgwa 732 159 38c ‘The Song of the Herd Boy’ – George Nene 733 160 45c ‘War Victim’ – Joseph Muzondo

Technical details Stamp size: 15c to 30c 30 x 35 mm 35c to 45c 35 x 30 mm

Sheet Size: 15c to 30c 50 stamps (5 rows of 10 stamps), 35c to 45c 50 stamps (10 rows of 5 stamps) Two panes per printed sheet

Artist: Photographed by C G S MacPherson

Paper: ZSC paper type D – HS8, fluorescent front and back, with cream PVA gum.

Print colours: 45c Black, magenta, cyan and orange Other values Black, magenta, cyan, yellow

Perforations: 15c to 30c SG 14 x 14½, ZSC 14 x 14¼ 35c to 45c SG 14½ x 14. ZSC 14¼ x 14 15c to 30c Left Margin – Perforated through 35c to 45c Top Margin - Perforated through. Other margins: Imperforate

Printer: National Printing & Packaging, Harare, Zimbabwe

~ 3 ~

Printer’s Imprint: Bottom Margin, below 15c to 30c Row 5 Columns 4 to 7. 35c to 45c Row 10 Columns 2 to 4 Imprint printed in black

Cylinder numbers: 15c to 30c Bottom margin below R5/1 Colours from left – cyan, magenta, yellow, black 35c to 45c Top margin above R1/10 Colours from left - cyan, magenta, yellow (35c & 38c), orange (45c), black

Colour register: Type TL 4– round boxed – 15c to 30c Left margin opposite R1/10. Colours reading down – cyan, magenta, yellow, black 35c to 45c Right margin opposite R1/5 Colours reading down - cyan, magenta, yellow (35c & 38c), orange (45c), black

Sheet Value: 15c to 30c Bottom Margin, under 5/10 35c to 45c Top margin, above R1/1, printed in black.

Sheet Number: Type SN 4a with ‘PTC’ prefix, 15c to 30c Right margin opposite R5/10, reading down 35c to 45c Left margin, opposite R1/1, reading down.

Print numbers: 15c 700,000 23c 400,000 30c 270,000 35c 270,000 38c 250,000 45c 250,000

Issue date: 14th April, 1988

Withdrawal from sale:

Demonetarisation: 31st January, 1994

Listed varieties

No listed varieties have been noted

Unlisted Varieties

There are numerous small dots and specks in the printing of these stamps, particularly in the backgrounds. Some dots and specks shown below are a bit more distinctive, some may be constant.

~ 4 ~

23c: Green spot on belly 23c: Yellow spot above 38c: Spots above sun value

First Day Covers

The cover numbering comes from the catalogue produced by Geoff Brakspear.

A pictorial first day of issue canceller was produced for this issued and was used by the Philatelic Bureau. Other first day cover cancellers continued to be used at main post offices.

ZW034.1 (PTC)

226 x 162 mm

~ 5 ~

Related Material

Postcards

‘Hornbill Man’ by John Takawira Collection of National Gallery

Bibliography:

1. “The Zimbabwean Concise Postage Stamp Catalogue”, published by Harare Stamp Company, edited by Ken Allanson, Mike Amos and Geoff Brakspear. The catalogue continues to be updated and expanded by Geoff Brakspear 2. PTC Philatelic Bureau Bulletin No 2 of 1988.

~ 6 ~