exhibition - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 1974 - 2 Shilling

This special postage stamp appreciated two memorable occasions. After 30 years Schloss Schallaburg, one of the most interesting renaissance palaces north of the Alps, was handed over again to the public. The valuable building stock has been secured and exemplary restored. The second occasion: From May 22 to November 14, 1974, the castle was the scene of a great Renaissance exhibition, which represented for the first time this striking epoch of Austrian history. The Schallaburg owes its fame to the magnificent Terrakottenhof, which has no even approximately similar comparison example. Even the architecture is strange. The arcades completely adorn the narrowest and longest front of the courtyard. However, they are themselves in scaffolding construction, using fired, mostly self-supporting sound elements, emerged. On the ground floor you can see four cycles over a series of decorative grotesque, sometimes also symbolic consoles and keystones: the fable of the miller, his son and the donkey, a series of ancient heroes and heroines, the nine muses, and finally scenes of the Hercules legend. Furthermore, the seven liberal arts, the eight virtues and on twenty terracotta reliefs immortalized the Roman emperors from Julius Caesar to Tacitus. The brand image shows a capstone made of terracotta, a satyr head, a mask with grotesque features.