Konotop Witch Stamp Sheet

Stamp sheet "The Konotop Witch"

There are stories that do not disappear with the passage of time. They are passed down from generation to generation, whispered in the evenings near old windows, live in theatrical light, in folk tales, in the disturbing creak of wooden floors and in the quiet rustle of the night wind. This is exactly what the "Konotop Witch" is - a mystical legend of Ukrainian culture, which in 2026 received a new, unexpected incarnation in philately. Ukrposhta dedicated a special postal issue to this phenomenon for International Theater Day, turning the stamp sheet into a real artistic stage, where reality intertwines with the darkness of the people's imagination.

The premiere of the theatrical production “The Witch of Konotop” directed by Ivan Uryvskyi, which took place on April 28, 2023 on the stage of the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater, became a real cultural explosion. The performance, based on the classic story by Hryhoriy Kvitka-Osnovyanenko, unexpectedly came to life for the modern viewer — poignant, eerie, hypnotic. It went far beyond the boundaries of the theatrical stage and became a symbol of Ukrainian cultural power. The production gathered full halls, caused discussions, made people feel fear, admiration and a strange inner anxiety. In 2024, the performance received the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine and became part of Ukraine's international cultural diplomacy, opening up a new facet of Ukrainian art to the European public — dark, deep, ancient.

It was this atmosphere that was managed to be transferred to the postcard “The Witch of Konotop”. His composition looks as if the viewer is standing not in front of the stamps, but in front of the stage of an old theater after the performance, when the lights have already gone out, but something invisible still remains in the air. Six stamps placed on the sides of the sheet form a kind of corridor leading to the center of the mystical canvas. On the stamps themselves are three female figures in white, motionless, like ghosts. Their faces are devoid of usual emotions, and their gazes seem to pass through the viewer. They sit side by side, like judges of an ancient rite, like keepers of forgotten secrets. The white clothes contrast sharply with the dark background of the stamp, creating a feeling of cold theatrical light emerging from the darkness.

But the real magic is hidden in the sheet itself. The central coupon is divided into two parts. In the upper one is a black cross, simple and almost ascetic. It hangs over the composition as a sign of faith, fear and purification at the same time. Below are strange figures, as if drawn by a child's hand or torn from an old dream. Their naivety only enhances the eerie feeling. All this is reminiscent of old village walls, where time leaves its traces - scratches, shadows, inscriptions. On the bottom margin of the sheet appears a barely noticeable inscription "KoNoTopska ViD'Ma", executed in a nervous, almost insane manner. The letters seem to crumble, scratch the surface of the paper, turning into part of a dark spell.

A particularly strong element of the composition is the face in the lower right corner of the sheet. It seems to emerge from a cracked wall or an old canvas. The eyes look to the side, but one gets the feeling that they are following every movement. This is no longer just a theatrical image - it is the very mysticism of Ukrainian folklore, materialized in graphics. The artists do not try to give an answer to who this figure is: a witch, a victim, a spirit or memory itself. And it is this uncertainty that gives rise to the main thing - the disturbing magic of the sheet.

The stamp sheet is built in a monochrome gray-black range, which gives it a special drama. There is almost no color here - only shadows, light and texture. Thanks to this, the whole composition looks like an old theater poster found in the dust behind the scenes of an abandoned theater. But at the same time, the sheet is surprisingly modern. It combines the aesthetics of avant-garde theater, folk mysticism and modern graphic art.

The technical characteristics of the issue only enhance its collector's value. Postage stamp No. 2228 "Konotop Witch" was put into circulation on March 30, 2026. The stamp format is 40×40 mm, and the sheet format is 147×180 mm. The stamp sheet contains six stamps and two coupons of different formats. The stamp's denomination is the letter "U". The total circulation of the stamp is 630,000 copies, among which imperforate and numbered sheets for the "Exclusive" and "Exclusive+" philatelic subscriptions were issued separately. The circulation of "First Day" envelopes is 15,000 copies, cards - 15,000, presentation folders - 600. The printing was done by offset at the "Ukraine" printing plant. The design of the stamp, card, postmark and sheet was created by the Franko Theater, which gives the issue even greater theatrical authenticity.

However, the main value of this sheet is not in numbers or printing. It is in the feeling. "The Konotop Witch" is not just a philatelic issue, but a kind of portal into the world of Ukrainian mysticism. He reminds us that our culture is not only the heroic pages of history, but also the dark forests of folk legends, old rituals, mysterious songs and the ancient fear of the unknown. This is the living force of Ukrainian tradition: it can be both bright and disturbing at the same time.

A sheet of stamps seems to whisper to the eye