3363, 3410 ITALY - Talking hands

3363 The cover of the photo album "Mani che Scalano il Cielo"

It is known, the hands of people, seemingly simple anatomical attributes, but precious tools that allow work, communication, art and, ultimately, survival, are extremely expressive and reflect the way of life and the occupation of the owners. The postcard 3363 is a reproduction of the cover of the photo album Mani che Scalano il Cielo (Hands Which Reach the Sky), published by Terra Ferma in 2009 and belonging to the well-known Italian photographer-mountaineer Fausto De Stefani, the sixth man to have climbed the 14 highest peaks of the world, all exceeding 8000 meters.

3410

This fascinating photo album contains truly unique portraits in which the hands are the protagonists: hands marked by deep furrows; calloused hands, black with earth, wise hands of ordinary people, mostly Nepalese and Tibetan, that De Stefani wanted to capture with brightly colored shots during his travels. The images, evocative and high quality compositions, are a celebration of the natural spirituality that these people, guests of the mountains closest to the sky, also seem to express through their hands. I don't know if the photo in postcard 3410 is from the same photo album, but it could be.

About the stamps

The first stamp is a special one, part of the series Marine Life - Amphipodes of Terre Adélie, designed by Pierre Albuisson and issued by French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF) on January 2, 2017.
• Epimeria Inermis (0.80 EUR)
• Epimeria robusta (0.80 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3363
• Echiniphimedia scotti (1.24 EUR)
• Anchiphimedia dorsalis (1.55 EUR)

Other two stamps are part of the series Logos of French South and Antarctic Territory, designed by Eve Luquet and issued by French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF) on March 30, 2016. 
• Sea turtle (0.01 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3363
• Helicopter (0.02 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3365
• Penguin (0.03 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3365
• Research ship (0.04 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3363

The four stamp is part of the series Flags, issued by French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF),about which I wrote here.

The fifth stamp, depicting Pierre Fontaine, is part of a series of personalities designed by Patrick Derible and issued by Saint Pierre and Miquelon (a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France) over several years.
2006.03.01 Albert Pen, 1931-2003 (0.53 EUR) 
2007.01.10 Sister Hilarion, 1913-2003 (0.54 EUR)
2008.01.19 René Autin, 1921-1960 (0.54 EUR)   
2009.03.14 Henri Morazé, 1903-1986 (0.56 EUR) 
2010.01.16 Richard Bartlett, 1922-1994 (0.56 EUR) 
2011.03.12 Henritte Bonin, 1899-1985 (0.58 EUR)   
2012.07.16 André Paturel, 1942-1987 (0.33 EUR) 
2013.06.15 Frère Sénier, 1885-1978 (20 g) 
2014.03.26 Albert Briand, 1909-1966 (0.33 EUR)
2015.03.28 Francis Leroux, 1908-1982 (0.38 EUR) 
2016.09.09 Pierre Fontaine, 1923-2012 (0.40 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3363  
2017.09.11 Jean-Marie Roger Tillard, 1927-2000 (20 g) 
2018.09.12 Pierre Hélène, 1907-1993 (20 g)
2019.09.15 Georges Poulet, 1902-1991 (20 g)

The sixth is part of the series Map of St. Pierre et Miquelon, issued on March 21, 2016 also by Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
• blue (0.01 EUR)
• yellow (0.02 EUR)) - It's on the postcard 3367  
• green (0.03 EUR) 
• grey (0.05 EUR) - It's on the postcard 3363  
• violet (0.10 EUR)
• pink (20 g) - It's on the postcard 3365  

References
Mani che Scalano il Cielo - zvab.com

Sender 3363, 3410: Jean-Yves Gerlat
3363: Sent from La Tronche (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes / France), on 09.02.2018
Photo: Fausto De Stefani
3410: Sent from Lancey / Villard-Bonnot (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes / France), on 30.12.2019