The Worms, Saltimbanco Postcard

The back of the postcard reads:

Cirque Du Soleil
The Worms/Les Vers, SaltimbancoWatercolor on Paper/Aquarelle Sur Papier

The Worms Postcard

Unfortunately, the card did not include who made the watercolored "The Worms." Saltimbanco comes from the Italian "saltare in banco", which literally means "to jump on a bench." Saltimbanco is the oldest major touring show of Cirque du Soleil (French for "Circus of the Sun"), an entertainment empire that is famous for its reinvented circus shows. The framework of Saltimbanco - the characters - are the Worms, at the very base of society.

The Urban Worms are the faceless multitude, the masses, the bureaucrats. They are the status quo: they watch and follow, but never act. The Multicoloured Worms are the simplest of all beings, the origin of all life. Following their primal urges, they are concerned only with survival.

SOURCE:Saltimbanco Wikipedia Entry

Branch of the Seine Near Giverny by Monet Postcard

The back of the postcard reads:

Oscar Claude Monet, French (1840-1926)
Branch of the Seine Near Giverny (1), 1896
Oil on Canvas
Juliana Cheney Edwards Collection

Branch of the Seine Near Giverny Postcard
(PH Wish from Teresa Ostrander)

I had trouble identifying the real title of the painting because I found series of paintings by Monet. What I did is I visited the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston website, which houses the Juliana Cheney Edwards Collection. I found the exact painting but with a different title. It's actually "Morning on the Seine, near Giverny."

Claude Monet (November 14, 1840 – December 5, 1926) was a founder of French impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting.

Additional information:Size: 73.7 x 93 cm (29 x 36 5/8 in.)Inscriptions: Lower left: Claude Monet 96

SOURCES:Museum of Fine Arts, BostonClaude Monet Wikipedia Entry

Beppe Nappa by Piero Fornasetti Postcard

First in my painting collection is the postcard"Beppe Nappa" by Piero Fornasetti. I was able to find information about Piero Fornasetti, but not on the painting itself nor "Maschere Italiane." All I know is that Beppe Nappa might be part of the "Maschere Italiane" series.

The back of the postcard reads:

Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988)

Beppe Nappa, Maschere Italiane

Beppe Nappa Postcard

Piero Fornasetti was an Italian painter, sculptor, interior decorator and engraver. He created more than 11,000 items, many featuring the face of a woman, operatic soprano Lina Cavalieri, as a motif. His style is reminiscent of Greek and Roman architecture, from which he was heavily influenced.

There was no information regarding Beppe Nappe, but I was able to find description on "Peppe Nappa." I don't actually know if they are one and the same. Peppe Nappa was born in Sicily in the 16th or 17th century. The name “Peppi”, in Sicilian dialect, comes from Giuseppe, while “nappa” denotes the darn in his socks. So the name in full means “John darn in his socks” or, in other words, a good for nothing. His light blue blouse and trousers are soft and wavy like the colour of the Mediterranean sea surrounding Sicily.

SOURCE:Piero Fornasetti Wikipedia Entry

Tubbataha Reef Postcards

Tubbataha Reef is an atoll coral reef located in the Sulu Sea, 98 nautical miles (181 km) southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on December 1993. It is also nominated in the new 7 wonders of nature.

Tubbataha Reef Marine Life Postcard 1

The word “tubbataha” is a combination of two Samal words which means “a long reef exposed at low tide”. The reef is composed of two atolls, North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 km (5 miles) wide.

Tubbataha Reef Marine Life Postcard 2

Over one thousand species can be found in the reef; many are already endangered species. Animal species found include manta rays, lionfish, pawikan or tortoise, clownfish, and sharks. Vivid corals cover more than two-thirds of the area and the waters around the reef are places of refuge for numerous marine lives. The seemingly diverse ecosystem of this sanctuary rivals the Great Barrier Reef – having 300 coral species and 400 fish species.

SOURCE:
Tubbataha Reef Wikipedia Entry

St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park Postcards

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It is also known as St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park. It was inscribed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.

St. Paul's Subterranean River Postcard 1

It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences.

St. Paul's Subterranean River Postcard 2

Until the 2007 discovery of an underground river in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Puerto Princesa's underground river is reputed to be the world's longest.

St. Paul's Subterranean River Postcard 3

The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

St. Paul's Subterranean River Postcard 4

St. Paul's Subterranean River Postcard 5

SOURCE:
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park WIkipedia Entry