Jozef Baláž

Jozef Baláž (1923-2006) was a prominent painter and stamp designer in Czecholovakia and Slovakia. Born in 1923 in Klohovec, Slovakia, he studied in Bratislava and Sofia. One of his most famous teachers was Koloman Sokol.

His main work were graphics and book illustrations. His work is very expressive and a good example of the pre-war Slovak art, although he has a very distinguished place in the national art history.

In 1957 he created the first stamp designs, three animals, for the issue for the 10th anniversary of TANAP (Tatra National Park). Besides his own artistic works, he devoted an unbelievable 46 years to graphic lay-outs of postage stamps for Czechoslovakia and Slovakia. He designed more than 120 different stamps with portraits of famous persons, animals and scenes from Slovak history and culture. For Jozef Baláž’s stamp art he made meticulous research. His complete knowledge of the technical stamp making parameters enabled him to better create designs specifically to commemorate particular anniversaries and important social events.

Though his own school of art in Pezinok, of which town he has been an honorary citizen since 1983, he influenced the contemporary Slovak art designs. He educated a new generation of stamp designers like Oliver Solga, Igor Piačká and Julia Piačková. During his later years he frequently worked with engraver Martin Činovský (right on the photo).

For Postage stamp day 2003 he was honoured with a special stamp that depicts the drawing which Jozef Baláž created for the issue of 110th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (Czechoslovakia 12 June 1984). His self-portrait is on the coupon.

Stamp catalogue

Slovakia 28 November 2003

Stamp catalogue - Slovak UN stamps designed by Jozef Baláž

UNESCO - Jan Kollár 20 May 1993

World Mathematical Year 15 February 2000

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last revised: 14 December 2009