Slieve na Brock by Colin Middleton

Slieve na Brock by Colin Middleton
9p Stamp issued 1971 - United Kingdom

Middleton (1910-1983) trained at the Belfast Academy of Art and was heavily influenced by the work of Vincent van Gogh.  His artwork was quite surreal in many respects.  In addition to being an artist, he was also a musician, theatre designer and poet.  In 1969 he was awarded an MBE and appointed an associate at the Royal Hibernian Academy, with full membership in 1970.

His work was one of three paintings in the Ulster '71 Festival stamp series:

Deer's Meadow by Thomas Carr

Deer's Meadow by Thomas Carr
7p Stamp issued 1971 United Kingdom

Carr was taught at the Slade School of Fine Art in London after selling an initial landscape painting in a local hotel during a three week holiday in Cassis, in the South of France. Commercially successful, this Northern Irish artist shunned adstractionism that was popular in the early stages of his career.  For much of his life he was a teacher and artist, living in the countryside of Northern Ireland in addition to living in Belfast from 1955.

This is one of three landscape paintings by Northern Irish artists that featured in an "Ulster '71 Festival" stamp issue:
TP Flanagan - A Mountain Road
Colin Midleton - Slieve na Brock

A Mountain Road by TP Flanagan

A Mountain Road, by TP Flanagan (1929-2011)
UK 3p Stamp issued 1971

TP Flanagan made a large contribution to the arts during his long career in Northern Ireland in the mid 20th century.  As well and being a teacher at the St Mary's Training College in Belfast until retirement in 1983, he had a parallel career as a professional artist in oils and watercolours was quietly flourishing throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with awards, exhibitions, honours, a television film (TP Flanagan: Painter).

He and his family were close friends with the famous Irish poet, Seamus Heaney, who was quoted as saying: "As an artist, Flanagan has gone his own way, explored the Irish landscape and enhanced Irish landscape painting through the discovery andelaboration of an individual style."


This stamp is one of a series of three "Ulster Paintings" from the Ulster '71 festival on 16 June 1971:
Colin Middleton
Tom Carr

Pietro Annigoni - Queen Elizabeth II (1956)

Pietro Annigoni (1910-1988) - Portrait Queen Elizabeth II (1956)

Australia 50c Stamp Issued 2006

Australia still continues to issue stamps to commemorate the Queen's Birthday each year, in addition to observing a long weekend to mark the occasion.  Strangely enough, this is done in June, even though it is not the Queens Birthday - any excuse for a public holiday!!


Annigoni's painting of the queen was depicting in the 2006 Queen's Birthday issue, marking the 50th Anniversary of the completion of this regal portrait.

George Stubbs - Grey Stallion with Mares and Foals

George Stubbs (1724-1806) - Grey Stallion with Mares and Foals (1768)

Great Britain Stamp 9d Issued 1967

Painting held at the Tate Britain

This fellow was a legend in the art of drawing horses, after having spent 18 dubious months of his life carrying out a large number of dissections of horses, in order to learn about their anatomy.  This painting is one of many under this genre, and it was completed in 1768.

George Stubbs also painted other works of English landscapes and animals, but it is best known for his depictions of horses.  He sometimes painted these animals on a blank background, which was somewhat unusual for the time - his most famous work is probably Whistle Jacket.

John le Capelain - Landscapes from Jersey (Pt 1)

John Le Capelain (1812-1848)  - Title not known

Jersey 11p Stamp issued 1987 (Christmas)

It's been a little difficult to find information on the 19th century artists who painted in the style of Turner.  I've recently managed to locate the complete collection of stamps that depict his art, so these will be uploaded on the next few days.

I really like the way Le Capelain depicts light in the moody conditions that must be part of life in the Channel Islands - it really makes you want to go and visit Jersey.

George Romney - Portrait of Mrs Davenport

George Romney - Portrait of Mrs Davenport

Stamp issued by Manama - Dependency of Ajman

Painting originally completed in 1782

George Romney (1734-1802) was a well established English portrait painter.  He typically depicted his subjects against a dark background to bring out their features in contrasting light.

This stamp appears to be taken from a poor copy of the original art work, which is held at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. (Link to Original Artwork).

Arthur Devis - Master Simpson

Arthur Devis (1762-1822) - Master Simpson (1805)
Stamp issued by Manama

Devis followed in the footsteps of his father by becoming a portrait artist.  He was heavily influenced by Sir Joshua Reynolds.  He completed portraits of very famous and less famous, but wealthy people during his career in the late 18th and early 19th century.  He also travelled to Canton and India during his career as a draughtsman.

Henry Raeburn - Self Portrait

Self Portrait

By Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823)

Painted 1815

National Gallery of Scotland Edinburgh

GB 5p Stamp Issued 1973

Sir Joshua Reynolds - Self Portrait

Self Portrait

By Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792)

Painted 1780

Royal Acedemy of Arts London

GB Stamp 3p Issued 1973

Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) - Master Lambton

Master Lambton (1825) - Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830)
Great Britain Stamp issued 1967
Private Collection

This portrait is also known as "Red Boy" and it was widely acclaimed during an exhibition in Paris in 1827.  Thomas Lawrence was a child prodigy, and he earned enough money to support his family from the age of 10.  He never married, although he had several public affairs, as his career was very accomplished.  He earned the custom of the Prince Regent, who would later become King George IV from 1820 to 1830.  While working for the Prince Regent, he completed portraits of many famous people in Europe, including Pope Pius VII - these works were destined for Windsor Castle.

Lawrence is one of the most famous romantic portrait artists of the regency age. This painting was completed for Lord Durham, who was a mining magnate at the time the work was   commissioned.  It is a painting of Lord Durham's son.

Sir Joshua Reynolds - Nelly O'Brien

Nellie O'Brien

By Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792)

Painted 1762-4

Wallace Collection London

GB 7.5p Stamp Issued 1973

Sir Joshua Reynolds is best known for his portrait paintings of the rich and famous.  He studied the Old Masters of painting in Italy from 1749-1752, before becoming famous for his Grand Style portraits which aimed at portraying idealised versions of imperfect people.  He commanded expensive fees at the height of his career, and he was knighted by King George III in 1769.

Henry Raeburn - Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch

Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch (1795) - Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823)

British Stamp GB Issued 1973

National Gallery of Scotland Edinburgh