Women on Postcards | L Is for Loren

One of the most Agnès Varda's iconic images is Sofia Loren in Portugal, taken in 1956 in Póvoa de Varzim, (Portugal). It shows Maria do Alívio ("woman who does laundry for others"), walking, dressed in black and barefoot, down a street, Rua das Lavadeiras, in contrast to the smiling, torn poster showing Sophia Loren and the sign "For Sale". Despite the title, no doubt who is the main character here.

The postcard was sent by Pedro (Portugal). As a bonus, a stamp of the photographer issued in 2024 that I received on a letter sent by Fabienne (France):

[Women on Postcards - 2026]

[Women on Stamps]

Women on Postcards & Stamps | Little Women

Envelope made by Bryon (the USA), with the selvage of the Barbie stamps. It included the firefighter and the paleontologist Barbie (you can be anything). And, suitably, a Little Women stamp (where they are reading a letter!!):

And yet, weeks later... a postcard with the same theme! A postcard with a quotation of Louisa May Alcott:

With a matching stamp, and two more little women on the back: the surgeon and the astronaut Barbie.

And still another related postcard, sent by Marina (the USA)!

When Barbie was introduced in 1959, women were expected to be full-time mothers and homemakers, and toys reflected this. The market consisted mostly in baby dolls. Portraying everything from astronauts to surgeons to reporters and rappers, Barbie has enabled girls to aspire to other careers through role-play.

Update: 7 October 2026

Sunday Stamps | Phillis Wheatley

This stamp, issued on 29 January 2026, honours poet Phillis Wheatley (ca 1753–1784), the first author of African descent in the American colonies to publish a book. The stamp art features a black-and-white ink-on-paper portrait of Wheatley by Kerry James Marshall, who imagines her later in life --That choice stirred a bit of controversy.

The envelope was sent by Phillip (the USA). More about this stamp.

Go to Sunday Stamps to see more stamps about Famous or accomplished people.

Women on Postcards - Update

 

View into the Garden, 1926
Vanessa Bell (1879-1961)

Earlier this year, I started the postal project Women on Postcards: completing an alphabet of postcards representing women. 

To be honest, I did not think I would receive so many postcards. But, intentionally or not, friends and postcrossers have contributed. 

The result is that halfway through the year, there are only three letters missing: U, X, Z, while I have received more than one postcard for some (easier) letters. 

As I had predicted, it is being a lot of fun. So... Thank you!

Sunday Stamps | P Is for Piaf

I used these stamps of Edith Piaf on a previous round of Sunday Stamps A-Z, long ago. They were issued in 2012.

But I have recently got a third one, from France. I was wondering why they have used the same picture... until I realised it was a joint issue with the USA!

This is my P post for Sunday Stamps A-Z.

Women on Postcards | S Is for Seagull

The Seagull
 Portrait of Valentina Tereshkova, 1964.
By Soviet Amir Nuriakhmetovich Mazitov (1928-1992)

Валентина Терешкова ('Valentina Tereshkova', born 1937) is a Russian engineer, politician, and former Soviet cosmonaut. 

Having flown a solo mission on Vostok 6 on 16 June 1963, Tereshkova became the first woman in space; she remains the only woman to have flown into space solo, and, at 26 years of age, the youngest. Her call sign on this flight was Чайка, (Chaika, 'Seagull'). After her launch, she radioed down:

It is I, Seagull! Everything is fine. I see the horizon; it's a sky blue with a dark strip. How beautiful the Earth is ... everything is going well.

Eduard (Russia) sent the postcard with two matching stamps: a Russian stamp issued in 2013 that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first woman in space (It includes a seagull!). And a Soviet one issued 30 years before with the same motive: 20th anniversary of Tereshkova's Vostok 6 flight.

This postcard was sent on 25th December 2025, and arrived just this week. It took less time to reach the Moon!

[Women on Postcards - 2026]

Sunday Stamps | J Is for Jazz

Billie Holiday

USA, 1994

Bessie Smith

USA, 1994

Erroll Garner / Eubie Blake

USA, 1995

1920's - Jazz Flourishes

USA, 1998

Eleanor Collins

Canada, 2022

These are my J-stamps for Sunday Stamps.

Sunday Stamps | X Is for +

The stamp on the left was issued in 2021, and bears the title Герои нашего времени ('Heros of Our Times'). The stamp on the right is a 2015 one dedicated to Служба крови ('Blood Service'), the State Program of Voluntary Donation.

A Red Cross stamps from France, from 1973 (Mary Magdalene).

These are the X post for A-Z Sunday Stamps.

Sunday Stamps | W Is for White

Betty White (1922 - 2021), was an American actress and comedian. A pioneer of early television with a career spanning almost seven decades, she was noted for her vast number of television appearances, acting in sitcoms, sketch comedy, and game shows. One of her biggest roles is Rose on the sitcom The Golden Girls (1985–1992).

The stamp honouring White was issued on 27 March 2025. Phillip sent it on an envelope along with the first day postmark and the perfect postcard inside!

This is the W-entry for the A-Z Sunday Stamps I dedicate to Women on Stamps.

Sunday Stamps | V Is for Vote

Stamp (and first day postmark) issued in 2020 the U.S. Postal Service, which commemorates the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote.

And this is no the first time I have chosen this topic for Sunday Stamps.

When preparing this post, I received this postcard with a related stamp: on top, a stamp issued in 1970 for the 50th anniversary of the 19th Amendment:

The other stamp was issued in 1975, when the UN declared International Women's Day.

Sunday Stamps | U is for UN Women

Planet

The United Nations Postal Administration marks 2025's International Women’s Day, celebrated annually March 8, with six stamps. Each one shows an illustration depicting a certain theme that is displayed in text running up the left side of the stamp: Planet, Power, Sécurité ('Safety'), Prosperité ('Prosperity'), Frieden ('Peace') and Zugang ('Access').

Power

I received two of them on the front and back of this postcard sent by Bryon.

And a third one on another postcard:

Prosperité (='Prosperity')

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Sticking to women on stamps for this A-Z round of Sunday Stamps. See more U-stamps!

Sunday Stamps | S Is for Shadd

Mary Ann Shadd (1823 – 1893) was an American-Canadian anti-slavery activist, journalist, publisher, teacher, and lawyer. She was the first black woman publisher in North America and the first woman publisher in Canada. Mary Shadd established the newspaper Provincial Freeman in 1853, which was published weekly in southern Ontario. It advocated equality, integration, and self-education for black people in Canada and the United States.

Mary's family was involved in the Underground Railroad, assisting those fleeing slavery in the United States.

This is the S post for A-Z Sunday Stamps.

Sunday Stamps | R is for Randoin

Lucie Randoin (1888 – 1960) was a French biologist, nutritionist, and hygienist. She was made a commander of the Legion of Honour in 1958 and is known for her research on vitamins. Se was the second woman to teach at the Faculty of Sciences in Paris (Sorbonne) and the first female biologist at the Academy of Medicine after Marie Curie.

This is my R-stamp for the A-Z Sunday Stamps dedicated to women on stamps.

Sunday Stamps | Q Is for Quimby

Harriet Quimby (1875 – 1912) was an American pioneering aviator, journalist, and film screenwriter. In 1911, she became the first woman in the United States to receive a pilot's license and in 1912 the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel. 

The stamp was issued in 1991.

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This is the Q post for the A-Z Sunday Stamps.

Sunday Stamps | P Is for Powwow

Powwows are gatherings with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Inaugurated in 1923, powwows today are an opportunity to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or public, indoors or outdoors, and they vary in length from single-day to weeklong events.

The stamps issued this year by USPS showcase original paintings of Native American dancers by artist Mateo Romero. The four stamps include different dancings. On this one, you can see the Women’s Traditional Dance.

Go to Sunday Stamps to enjoy more P-stamps.

Sunday Stamps | O is for Oosterwijck

Maria van Oosterwijck (1630-1693) was a Dutch painter, specialising in richly detailed flower paintings and other still lifes.

I like when they include so much information on the stamp, or the selvedge, like in this case. According to an online traductor, it says:

Still life painter, working n Delft and Amsterdam. Her father was a  minister, but through her mother she had connections to the artistic world. She sold her work to Jan Vorster, from all over Europe, at a reasonable price. 

This is my O-stamp for A-Z Sunday Stamps.

Sunday Stamps | N Is for Nèvejean

Yvonne Nèvejean (1900 – 1987) was one of the leaders of an organisation that helped hide Jewish children in Nazi-occupied Belgium during World War II. She was instrumental in hiding about 4000 children. After the war she was honoured inside and outside Belgium, and in 1996 this stamp was issued.

See more N-stamps on today's Sunday Stamps post.

Sunday Stamps | M Is for Mukhina

Vera Mukhina (1889 – 1953) was a famous sculptor, the creator of the monument Worker and Kolkhoz Woman, the winner of the Grand Prix at the exhibition in Paris for a collection of women's clothing decorated with painted peas and, according to the legend, the designer of Russian faceted glass.

The stamps was sent by Eduard (Russia) on the back of this matching postcard:

Portrait by Mikhail Nesterov

My Sunday Stamps A-Z is dedicated to women on stamps. See here more M-stamps!

Sunday Stamps | L is for Lewis

Edmonia Lewis, also known as "Wildfire" (1844 – 1907), was an American sculptor. She was the first African-American and Native American sculptor to achieve national and then international prominence. Among her more popular works: Old Indian Arrowmaker and His Daughter, Forever Free, Hagar and The Death of Cleopatra.

This is my L-entry for this round of A-Z Sunday Stamps.

Sunday Stamps | K Is for Kirchbach & Knef

Esther von Kirchbach (1894 – 1946) was a German journalist, poet and chaplain of the Confessing Church.

Hildegard Knef (1925 – 2002) was a German actress, singer, and writer. Her two best-known film roles were in Die Mörder sind unter uns ('The Murderers Are Among Us'), produced in 1946  and the first film released after the Second World War in East Germany; and in Die Sünderin ('The Sinner'), in which she performed a brief nude scene, the first in German film history, which caused a scandal in 1951.

Go to Sunday Stamps to see more K related stamps!