Yes, after all appearances, what is seen in this postcard is a smock mill with what might be called a boat shaped cap, i.e. (according to Wikipedia) "a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind. This type of windmill got its name from its resemblance to smocks worn by farmers in an earlier period." What distinguishes a smock mill by a mill tower (as is this one) is the shape and the material of construction, because that the tower mill is cylindrical and built from brick or stone masonry, the smock mill is often hexagonal or octagonal (as this one from the picture) and constructed of wood.
Smock mills exist in Europe and Americas, but particularly in England. In Finland I found only two, one in Loviisa, and this one from the image, located (according to Wikipedia, but also to a photo of the flickr.com) in Vuonna. Well, this settlement don't exist (not even here), but "vuonna" means in Finnish (according to Wiktionary) "in the year". I therefore declare myself defeated.
About the stamp
The stamp is part of Life floral paintings set, issued on September 9, 2009, and designed by Klaus Welp. The six paintings represent different art styles and are typical examples of each artistic production:
• Snapdragons (1909, Lähivakuutus) by Helene Schjerfbeck
• Burnet Roses (1911, Helsinki City Art Museum) by Eero Järnefelt
• Amaryllis (1948) by Birger Carlstedt
• Blooming Irises (1940, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum) by Wäinö Aaltonen
• Lone Calla (1949, Hämeenlinna Art Museum) by Ester Helenius – it’s on the postcard
• Still Life with Carnations (1947, Finnish National Gallery) by Tuomas von Boehm
References
Smock Mill - Wikipedia
Sender: Anne / Sennukka (postcrossing) FI-1336639
Sent from Jyväskylä (Finland), on 27.03.2012
Photo: Markku Roisko
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