Commemorative PH-France Postage Stamps Unveiled in Paris
The two designs of the commemorative postage stamps by Filipino painter Macario Vitalis (left) and French painter Jacques Villon (right)
10 July 2017 PARIS, FRANCE – As part of its celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and France, the Philippine Embassy organized the official unveiling of commemorative postage stamps on June 15 held at the Musée de la Marine in Paris with La Poste officials Mr. Frédéric Morin, Deputy Director of Phil@poste, and Béatrice Roux, Director for International Affairs of Groupe La Poste.
The French stamp design is that of the painting "Landscapes of the Tarn-et-Garonne 1961" by French artist Jacques Villon while the Philippine stamp design is that of a 1962 painting by Filipino artist Macario Vitalis, which he himself donated the next year to the Philippine Embassy in Paris in 1963. It hangs in the living room of the official residence of the Philippine Ambassador.
It is said that Vitalis and Villon were contemporaries and belonged to the same circle of artists in France. Vitalis, a renowned Filipino national artist, and Villon, a famous French, Cubist and impressionist painter.
The stamps were jointly issued by the postal authorities of the Philippines and of France since June 26.
For more information, visit www.parispe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/officialphilembassyfrance. END
Philippine Ambassador to France Maria Theresa Lazaro unveils the Philippines-France Commemorative Postage Stamps. Congresswoman Pia Cayetano (third from left) and Congressman Arthur Yap (fifth from left) witnessed the ceremony