Jozef Baláž (1923 – 2006) was a painter, graphic artist, illustrator and the doyen and founder of Slovak postage stamp design. Baláž made his debut in postage stamp design in 1957. In addition to his free graphic and illustrative works, in the years that followed he was the enthusiastic creator of a long line of stamps that started with the three TANAP issues. Overall, Baláž created the graphic design for almost 150 stamps, initially Czechoslovak, and later Slovak, stamps.

He is the chief representative of the movement that was able to fully penetrate the mysteries of stamp graphics. Even as a part of Czechoslovak stamp design his use of firm dynamic line drawing, that was a central element of both his compositions and his expression, attracted attention. His tilt towards the use of free and illustrative graphics to provide the motif and expressive design for a stamp makes his stamp designs an expression of modern fine art. From the considerable body of Czevchoslovak stamps designed by Baláž, let us recall the issues: Slovak Paradise, Archaeological Findings, the 110th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union, along with several issues to celebrate the anniversaries of the Slovak National Uprising as well as a portrait of a smiling Gagarin and of Andrej Hlinka, which received a national prize. In addition to his drawing on the gutter of the printing sheet of the first Slovak stamp to be issued: the Slovak State Symbol, we should also mention his work in the design of Slovak stamps for the first years of various issues; for example, the 50th Anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising, the 5th Anniversary of the Constitution, the Černová issue, and multiple stamps that bear the portraits of historical figures and events. His fictitious portraits of Great Moravian figures, for example, Pribina, Rastislav, Koceľ and Svätopluk are especially valuable. The French-Slovak issue: M. R. Štefánik from 2003 is also worthy of mention. His stamp, Ľudovít Štúr, designed as a double portrait including the personification of Štúr’s muse – the Slovak language, provides the most innovative solution from among his portrait stamps. Multiple issues were awarded prizes by numerous philatelic polls and assessments of professional juries. Certainly, the award received at the Grand Prix de lʼexposition WIPA1996 is an exceptionally valuable example. The Ľudovít Štúr issue received the first and most precious international award for Slovak stamp design. Apart from the creative input of Baláž, the stamp was also shaped by his participation in the proceedings of the consultative bodies of the issuer. He was the first chairman of the Postage Stamp Design Commission.

In 2001, Jozef Baláž was awarded the state decoration, the 2nd Class Order of Ľudovít Štúr, for his exceptional contribution to Slovak stamp design graphics. May the issue of this postage stamp be a suitable tribute to an artist who spent half a century shaping the design of postage stamps in a unique way. Antónia Paulinyová