The collection was acquired in 1971, a decision that was initiated by the historian and art critic Joan Ainaud de Lasarte (Barcelona, 1919 – 1995), at that time the director of the Art Museums of Barcelona. The collection is presented in 10 albums of stamps related to art and museums, and which are all organised in a specific way (Postillon).
The albums were purchased from the Barcelona art gallery Ianua, founded by the painter, editor and writer J. J. Tharrats in 1966, who was also a stamp collector and may have been the person behind this thematic collection.
Unlike other philately albums from that time, great care has been taken with the presentation of this collection, which features a short description of each stamp and an introduction to each thematic section, written by specialists.
When he proposed the acquisition of this collection, Joan Ainaud de Lasarte’s aim was to offer a different approach to the world of art and museums by means of stamps that featured artistic reproductions and, at the same time, to broaden and enrich the Postal and Philately Museum’s discourse with a more original thematic collection.
The catalogue for the collection that we have included below shows some of the stamps issued that were devoted to art, and which come from such a wide range of countries as Japan, Cuba, the Republic of Congo, Poland, Russia and Belgium. A unique collection that is absolutely unmissable.
