[press release; translated by Google] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Iconic Shapes Dominate the Typically Dutch – Museums Stamps

The first stamp sheetlet of 2023 in the ‘Typisch Nederlands’ series from PostNL was issued on January 2^nd. The six stamps are dedicated to the many high-quality museums in our country. This year’s series “Typically Dutch” is devoted to various sights that are important and typical of the Netherlands.

The design of “Typically Dutch – Museums” is the work of senior graphic designer Adam Lane and creative director Edwin van Praet, of Total Design from Amsterdam. In the series, stamp sheets will appear later this year with the subject of windmills (February 13), flower fields (March 20), cheese markets (March 20) and Wadden Sea (August 14).

Hundreds of Museums, Millions of Visitors
The Netherlands is a real museum country. With many hundreds of museums that attract many millions of visitors. The oldest museum in our country is the Teylers Museum in Haarlem (from 1784). The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (from 1885) attracts the most visitors every year.

Iconic Shapes
The stamps of the “Typically Dutch – Museums” stamp sheet feature picture frames and vases in various sizes. The iconic shapes are grouped in a tight pattern across the stamps. The design language is as simple and geometric as possible, but still recognizable, according to graphic designer Adam Lane. “In this way we have succeeded in designing stamps with powerful images within the pattern game. The loose stamp shows a strong design, while the story behind the theme remains legible.”

Content Aspects
It is not only the form that dominates on the stamp sheet, there is also a substantive aspect to the choice of design concept with icons and patterns. Creative director Edwin van Praet: “This applies to all stamp sheets that will be issued this year in the Typically Dutch series. Whichever museum you visit, a pattern has always been deliberately chosen for how, for example, paintings hang on the wall. When it comes to collecting art, museums naturally also follow a fixed pattern to build up their collection.”Availability
The stamp sheet “Typically Dutch – Museums” has six stamps in six equal designs, with the value indication Nederland 1, intended for mail up to and including 20 grams with a destination within the Netherlands.

The “Typically Dutch – Museums” stamps are available as long as stocks last at the post office in the Bruna stores and via the webshop [direct link]. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from the Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 868 99 00. The price per sheet of 10 stamps is € 10.10. The stamps are valid indefinitely.

[VSC Note: The link to first day covers (“Eerstedagenveloppen”) is here.]