Adoration of the Magi by Konrad Witz

Konrad Witz (c 1400-1445) - Adoration of the Magi (c 1444)
New Zealand 3c Stamp Issued Christmas 1974
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Geneva, Switzerland

The majority of Witz's work was completed altarpieces during his lifetime, which have since been dismantled and displayed in various art galleries - his art was completed on many medium, including wood and cloth.  The German artist was known for his scenes of realism - he was probably influenced by Flemish artists like Jan van Eyck, even though Witz probably spent all his working life in Basel.

He did not use mystical symbolism although it was very popular in northern Europe at the time - his work is more immediate and real to the viewer.  Witz is best known at the artist who completed the first outdoor landscape of a real site, being Lake Geneva, in 1444.  The painting was called The Miraculous Draft of Fishes.  He worked the majority of his life in the Painters Guild in Basel, but little is known about his training.

The Holy Family with A Shepherd by Titian

Holy Family with a Shepherd (1510) by Titian (1490-1576)
New Zealand 2d Stamp Issued 1963
National Gallery, London

New Zealand postal authorities selected a third painting from the National Gallery in London for inclusion in the Christmas stamps during the 1960s.  This one was in a larger format to do justice to the larger size of the underlying oil on canvas painting by Titian.  A shepherd is in adoration of the Madonna and child.  

Other Titian works that have been used in stamps:

Venus in a Mirror (1555)

St Mary Magdalene (1535)

Adoration of the Magi by Albercht Durer

Adoration of the Magi (1504) - Albrecht Durer (1471-1528)
New Zealand 2d Stamp Issued 1961 Christmas
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

This work was created by Durer during a time when he was staying in Nuremberg.  The painting is oil on wood so it is thought to have been housed in a church in earlier times.  Durer is considered to be the most important painter of the Northern Renaissance.

Much of his work has religious meaning, including a work of "Adam" which featured on a stamp that was issued by Rwanda.

School of Athens by Raphael

School of Athen by Raphael (1511)
Greece Stamp issued 1978
Vatican Museum and Galleries, Vatican City (Rome)

This stamp captures a very small part of the high renaissance style fresco, The School of Athens, which is one of Raphael’s most famous works.  It was completed to decorate the Stanza della Segnatura commission by Pope Julius II. The Stanza was the first set of rooms to be decorated, and this painting was the second in the set of paintings that adorn the walls. Although it was created for a grand room in the Vatican, nearly every one of the figures in the painting can be identified as a Greek philosopher, rather than a religious character. The fresco's position as well as the philosophers' walk in direction of the Holy Sacrament on the opposite wall suggested the interpretation of the whole room as the movement from the classical philosophy to the true religion and from the pre-Christian world to Christianity.  Raphael included the likeness of Michelangelo himself in the painting, as the philosopher Heraclitus.  The stamp series was issued to commemorate the 2,300th Anniversary of the death of Aristotle.

Michelangelo - Scene from the Sistine Chapel Jacob

Michangelo - Sistine Chapel (Jacob) (1512)
Vatican City Stamp issued 1991
Sistine Chapel - Vatican City

The Vatican regularly issues stamps that contain scenes from the paintings that were completed on the Sistine Chapel by Michangelo, and this is one of the more modern series of stamps that were issued in the early 1990s when the chapel was being restored.  This stamp depicts one of Jesus' ancestors, who was Jacob.

Other stamps of the Sistine Chapel include:
Grenada

Raphael - Madonna and the Goldfinch

Raphael (1483-1520) - Madonna and the Goldfinch (1505)
Italy 50 lira Stamp issued 1970
Painting held in the Uffizi Gallery Florence

This painting was depicted on stamps to commemorate the 450th Anniversary of the death of Raphael.  The painting was originally given to someone as a wedding gift, before being damaged into 19 different parts during an earthquake in 1546.  It is typical of Raphael's style, with perfect geometric framing of the three figures - Mary, St John the Baptist and the little baby Jesus.  The was meticulously restored recently, only returning to the Uffizi Gallery in 2008.

Other works by Raphael:

The Large Cowper Madonna, USA

The Virgin and Child with John the Baptist, France

Raphael Self Portrait, San Marino

The Madonna and the Goldfinch has also been depicted on a stamp by the USA, but the painting was completed by Giovanni Baptista Tiepolo.

Giotto - the Ognissanti Madonna

Giotto (1266-1337) - the Ognissanti Madonna (1310)
Italy 40 lira Stamp issued 1966
Uffuzi Galley - Florence

This painting was commissioned by an obscure religious order when Giotto returned to Florence in the period around 1310.  Ognissanti refers to the church where the painting was originally housed, being the All Saints Church in Florence.  The painting is now housed in the Uffuzi Gallery in Florence.

Giotto is credited as being the first in a line of artists who kicked off the Italian Renaissance at the end of the middle ages.  Other stamps have works that are from Giotto:

Sermon on the Mount, France Stamp

Michelangelo - The Delphic Sibyl from the Sistine Chapel

Michelangelo (1475-1564) - the Delphic Sibyl from the Sistine Chapel (1512)
Grenada 1c Stamp Issued 1975
Painting in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

In 1975, Grenada issued a series of stamps to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Michelangelo.  This is one of the most famous images from the Sistine Chapel, being the Delphic Sybil.  Sybils are part of Greek mythology, who were prophets in many locations in legendary tales.

It is said that Michelangelo did not enjoy the commission that was given to him - to paint the huge ceiling of the Sistine Chapel took 5 years.  However, this work is his most monumental and well regarded feat that gained him fame.

Giovanni Bellini - Madonna with Blessing Child

Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516) - Madonna with Blessing Child (1480)
Mongolia 30T Stamp Issued 1972
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

Bellini was the most influential Venetian artist of the renaissance.  He was known for his paintings which moved the Madonna and Child from formal indoor settings into wide landscapes and the natural world.  This portrait is one such depiction of the madonna and child, who happens to be giving everyone a blessing.  This is typical of Bellini's work, with deep colours. 

Bellini was a major influence on other great artists of the era who have had their works depicted on other stamps:

Albrecht Durer

Titian

Annunciation Scene from a Flemish Book of Hours - Artist Unknown

Annunciation Scene from A Book of Hours - 15th Century Artist Unknown
Cook Islands 1c Stamp Issued 1973

The Cooks Islands issue a large volume of decorative postage stamps, many of which contain works of religious art, particularly for Easter and Christmas issues.  This issue was made in 1973 - it was developed from a Flemish Book of Hours - these were books that were originally issued for devotional prayers for monks in the Middle Ages.  Many of these books were quite beautiful.  In this scene, and angel and a dove are shown visiting the Virgin Mary.

Raphael - The Large Cowper Madonna (1508)

Raphael - The Large Cowper Madonna
USA 20c Stamp issued 1983
Painting held at the National Gallery of Art Washington

Raphael lived a relatively short life of only 37 years but he now upholds a reputation as one of the great High Renaissance painters, being active at the time of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Titian.  Indeed, this painting contains hints of da Vinci's style, as the figures are large, fulsome and closely framed - although it is difficult to determine from this particular stamp.  The painting conveys the close relationship between mother and child - the child is in a playful mood, looking out to the audience.  


This stamp was issued on  the 400th anniversary of Raphael's birth for Christmas 1983.  Raphael's paintings have been depicted on a large number of stamps over the years including others on this blog:
Self Portrait - Issued in San Marino
The Virgin and Child with John the Baptist in a Landscape - Issued in France

Filippo Lippi - Madonna and Child

Filippo Lippi - Madonna and Child (c1440)
USA 20c Stamp issued 1984
National Gallery of Art - Samuel H Kress Collection

Lippi was probably the best Florentine master of the mid 1400s, as his paintings were known for their tenderness and joyfulness.  This painting of the Madonna and child is intimate and close up to the viewer  - the eventual sacrificial nature of the child's life is symbolically predicted through the placement of his mother's hand directly across the child's throat.

Apparently, Lippi caused a bit of scandal and controversy during his time as a painter during this highly religious era.  He obtained permission from Pope Pius II to live with a woman who was a nun - she was used a a model in a number of depictions of the Madonna.

Giovanni Toscani - Adoration of the Magi - Part 3 Detail

Australia 45c Stamp Issued 1994

Painting Held at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

This is one of many works of Toscani that were produced on wooden panels in the "cassone" style.  The panels were originally decorated to be included in wooden chests or boes for newly married couples.  

Three stamps were sourced from detailed reliefs of Tosacani's painting which is held at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.

Toscani - Adoration of the Magi - Part 2

Giovanni Toscani - Adoration of the Magi

Australia $1 Stamp Issued 1994 Christmas

Painting Held at the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia

This stamp is one of three stamps that was produced from the "Adoration of the Magi" painting that is held at the National Gallery of Victoria.  Another stamp has been previously posted as part of this series on this blog.


This painting was produced sometime between 1420 and 1430.  The painting is one of many artworks that have been purchased through the Felton Request, which was established in 1904 when Alfred Felton died, leaving a fortune of 190,000 pounds.  Felton stipulated that half of the interest earned on the bequest would be used to purchase artworks for the NGV - the gallery has managed to purchase numerous works that are valued over a billion dollars now, as many purchases were made prior to the large increase in art work prices in the 1950s.   

Prospero Fantana - Holy Family with St Jerome

Prospero Fontana - Holy Family with St Jerome, a female martyr and the infant St John the Baptist (1552)

Australia 28c Stamp issued 1980

Held in the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia

This impressive painting is thought to have been completed by Fontana while employed by Pope Julius III in the 1550s.  The artist had a long career in his native Bologna, Genoa, Florence and Rome.  The painting's figures are closely embraced to each other and interacting in a very personal manner.

St Jerome is also depicted in this painting, probably because he was responsible for the establishment of a hospice in Bethlehem in the 4th Century, in order to welcome pilgrams to the holy land.  He got up to quite a bit during his life, being fully devoted to the church.  He is also known for translating the bible into Latin.

The Annunciation - Artist Unknown (Savoy School France)

Unknown Artist from the Savoy School (1480) - "The Annunciation"

France Stamp issued 1970 - 1 Franc

This stamp depicts a favourite scene from renaissance artists, being the annuniciation, or otherwise known as the time when the angel Gabriel came on down to earth to let Mary know that she was going to have a little baby Jesus.  

St John the Baptist - Artist Unknown

St John the Baptist - Artist Unknown (1592)

Bulgarian Stamp Issued 1988

This is one of two stamps issued to depict two cultural icons from the municipality of Kardzhali in south western Bulgaria in 1988.  

Quentin Metsys - The Moneylender and his Wife

Quentin Metsys (1466-1530) - The Moneylender and His Wife (1516)

France Stamp issue 2008 
The Louvre, Paris

The majority of Metsys' work depicts the life of merchants in Holland during a prosperous time in their history - this painting was completed when the artist lived in Antwerp at a time when the city was a trading hub for the Spanish and Portuguese.  The people in his paintings are usually depicted in indoor scenes, where there are clear indications of wealth - however, the paintings do not openly show extravagant wealth, as was usual for this time in Holland.  Religious overtones, include the scales of justice behind the subjects, providing insight into the ultimate judgement that each person must face.  The mirror and book on the table are completed to a high level of realistic detail.

Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa (La Gioconda)

Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa (1506)
France Stamp Issued 2008
Painting held at the Louvre Paris

Today is the 491st anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death.  This painting needs no introduction as it is one of the greatest works from the renaissance period.  

Some interesting observations/claims from Wikipedia:

• the painting was not named until 31 years after Leonardo da Vinci's death
• it only became very famous from the 18th Century
• the painting was commissioned for a rich Florentine merchant's family to celebrate the birth of their first child;
• six million people now view the painting, which is held behind bullet proof glass in a specifically built facility within the Louvre;
• it was one of the first portrait pictures to depict the sitter in an imaginary landscape and an aerial perspective;
• it was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by and Italian employee, who tried to sell the painting to Uffizi Gallery in Florence, after holding it in his apartment for two years.

Leonardo da Vinci also influenced a number of artists of the renaissance period who have had their works depicted on stamps:

Albrecht Durer - Adam

Raphael - The Large Cowper Madonna

Raphael - La Belle Jardiniere

Giotto - Sermon of the Birds

Fragment of Sermon of the Birds c. 1302 - Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337) 

France Stamp Issued 2008

Louvre, Paris

Giotto is now regarded as one of the key artists whose work signaled the end of Medieval Gothic and Byzantine Arts towards the early Renaissance.  This is one of his most important works - one of a series of paintings depicting the life of St Francis of Assisi - these frescos are also subject to some dispute as to whether they can be attributed to Giotto.

 Extract from "Renaissance Art" - Chambers Library:

"This is a famous fragment of the predella of a signed picture, which the artist executed for the Franciscans in Pisa.  The aura of spontaneous intimacy - with the saint portrayed in the presence of birds which are not depicted in the manner of medieval art but are individuated- authenticates this panel."