Normally I collect only used stamps and stamps that I want to use in instance on postcards or letters. But this stamp is special in many ways. I bought it only for my collection, as the usage is a bit difficult. The worth of 2,50 Euro is in Austria..not a letter. Not a postcard. Really I don't know what to send with 2,50. Perhaps a really big letter. And you need a big letter because the stamp is also very big. The size of the scan is nearly the original size.
The stamp shows the city of
Salzburg painted in 1829 as a panorama of Johann Michael Sattler. The original high is 4,86 meters and the length is about 25,53 meters.
Something special is also, that the picture shows exactly the city to this time. It is like a photography and everything is in his place, even the windows of the houses. And it shows the shadows of the mountains in exactly 4 p.m. But of course the picture was painted about 4 or 5 years.
After the artist has finished his painting, he took it with him on tour across Europe, to show everyone the beauty of Salzburg. I can not imagine how he took the huge picture with him to this time...Perhaps like a big top for a circus with a lot of work to construct and to deconstruct.
Salzburg became very fast popular. It was the first promotion of a city for tourism.
Today you can see the original and restored panorama in Salzburg in the
panorama museum.