Wanted to make everyone aware of a fantastic new addition to our articles section from long-time SOR member Jan-Simon Hoogschagen. The article, The Naumburg Founder Statues on Stamps, grew from a question posted to our discussion board about a souvenir sheet which features one of the twelve founders of Naumberg Cathedral. The article features Jan-Simon’s personal photographs and includes a discussion and pictures of other stamps that show the founders. Thanks Jan-Simon!
Dear Jan-Simon,
I'm not usually into history, and rarely read it through. Your article demands it be read through, and in spite of myself it was most enjoyable.Thank you.
Dan C.
Jan-Simon, this is a great read, and wonderfully illustrated. Are all the statues inside? If so, i might have expected to have retained more of their color, unless the lime from the stone eats it away. Does anyone have more information on the colors applied to mideival statues/
I especially like how you weave the story with both Nazis and Soviet occupation. For me, this intertwining is where stamps truly come alive, just like in your article.
I assume that the church is/was Catholic, as the period is before Luther; do i read the dates correctly?
David
Login to Like this post
"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
The past is a foreign country, they do things different there. 10 Oct 2011 02:20:06pm
re: The Naumburg Founder Statues on Stamps
As an amateur historian, I envoy Jan-Simon Hoogschagen's ability to answer the question with a superb explanation supported by telling images. No one ever regrets reading quality commentary. How gratifying, but not altogether surprising, to read this article in Stamporama.
John Derry
Login to Like this post
"Much happiness is overlooked because it doesn't cost anything. "
Thanks all, for the nice comments on my article.
In it, I could bring a few of my interests (stamps and history, especially medieval history) together.
@David: yes, all the statues are inside the church. They are placed in pairs in the western choir of the church. Regarding the use of colours on medieval statues, I cannot answer you right now, I would have to look into that.
As the statues are 750 years old, it is not really surprising the colours have faded. After all, you need to repaint your house every now and then as well ;)
The church was at the time the statues were placed Catholic. It may well be protestant now. Naumburg is not far from Wittenberg, the place where Luther nailed his theses to the church door.
i don't think it's the age so much as the galvanizing effect of the stone on the paint; either that or the stone's surface didn't provide an effective bond.
i always enjoy articles when they raise more questions
and it's clear that your interests were picqued. Great article.
David
Login to Like this post
"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
Great article! And thanks for bumping it as I am sure almost none of the newer members would have seen it, although I will admit I have been going back to quite a few older discussion posts for information in the last few months. Mostly I sign in each day and do Last Day but recently I am finding it beneficial to check for older posts.
Nice to see this thread revived. It has been 9 years, almost to the day, since I have been to Naumburg. Would love to revisit it and show it to the children, who weren't there at the time. There are many other interesting sites in the vicinity that I would like to check out too.
By the way, recently the Naumburg Cathedral was declared a Unesco World Heritage site. I am sure that will mean a few new stamps :-)