Maximaphily, traditional and non-traditional

It seems maxicards are not as popular in North America as other parts of the world and many really don't fit all the
traditional maxicard (maximum card) requirements.

The interesting part is that the collector can create a traditional maxicard as well as obtain new and older examples.

I've always liked maximum cards, and I keep a collection of those related to my city. I've even made some on my own. I would like to start by showing this one:

This is the painting, by Pablo Picasso, "Ciencia y Caridad" (Science & Charity). It was a work of 1897 (Picasso was just 16 years) while the family was already living in Barcelona. It was part of the donation by the author for the foundation of Barcelona's Picasso museum. It depicts a dying woman with a doctor holding her hand (science) and a nun taking care of her dauther/son (charity). The doctor is a portrait of Picasso's father, José Ruiz, while the woman is that of his siter. The postcard bears the postmark of the Picasso Musseum of Barcelona of the first day of issue of the stamp. I've been many times at the Picasso Museum of Barcelona, housed  in four wonderful Gothic (XIII to XV centuries) palaces; But I'll always remember the first time that I saw this picture, when I was 9 or 10 years old and my my parent brought the family to the new museum of Barcelona. It truly impressed me. Perhaps, this year, without tourists, I would be able to go there again.

On this card, we have "the triple concordance", plus another two recomendations of the FIP for maximum cards not mentioned here, so far:

.- The illustration should cover, at least 70% of the card. A problem with dark illustrations, like this.

.- The card used should be one available on the market before the issue of the stamp. So, it not advised to use the cards provided by the PO at the time of issuing the stamp. Something, sometimes hard to know when buying a prepared card, but easy when doing your own ones.

A "more conventional" painting by Picasso. This one, also from Picasso's Museum in Barcelona, belongs to the series "Las meninas" inspired on the famous Velazquez painting.

Barcelona's Park Güell porter's lodge

Lucky enough for me this park is part of my life-long landscape. I used to play there as a child (I had relatives living nearby), did sport as a teenager (one of my schools was very close) and just a few weeks ago I took some breaths from the lock down by walking through it (now, freed from tourism and free to citizens) with a good friend, as I still live not too far away.

Actually, neither the postcard, nor the (ugly!) stamp do justice to the park. It's far more lively and nice!

Max card of Barcelona's Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. Postmarked on the first day of the Games of the XXV Olympiad, 28 years, today

Maximum card using a commercial postcard of Barcelona's Casa Milà (aka "La Pedrera", the quarry), with a stamps showing the building and its author Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (Rreus/Riudoms, Catalonia, 1852 - Barcelona, 1926) and postmarket with a special pm with Gaudí's portrait on a boot just in front of the buiding on the stamp's day of issue, February 25th 1975. I know, because I was there, although i didn't prepare the card ( I was too young, by then).