The Virgin with Child by Maratta

The Virgin with Child (1660) by Carlo Maratta (1625-1713)
New Zealand Stamp 3d Issued Christmas 1966
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Carlo Maratta spent the majority of his life as a well regarded artist and it said to be the last classical style artist in a long line from Raphael.   He began his career while he was young - he was born in a papal state and moved to Rome at age 11 under the care of a friend of his father who was also a secretary to the nephew of the Pope.  These good connections must have assisted in him being able to further develop his talent.  He was apprenticed by Andrea Sacchi and built a strong friendship with Giovan Bellori, who was a big art collector and influence on the art market in Rome during this period.

Some of his work was commissioned by the Pope - this is one of his earlier pieces of work in a long career.  He would proceed to large frescos later in his career under the commission of the popes from Rome to France.  The majority of his work had a religious theme, although he also completed portraits of important figures in Rome at the time.

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

Paul von Szinyei-Merse - The Lady in a Purple Dress

Paul von Szinyei-Merse (1845-1920) - The Lady in a purple dress (1874)

Hungarian Stamp Issued 1966 Magyar Posta

This artist is said to have been responsible for some of the earliest examples of impressionism art in Central Europe.   Lady in a Purple Dress is typical of his work, which generally depicted the lives of the upper classes in Hungarian 19th Century Society - much like many of his contemporaries at the time. 

This is one of this painter's last paintings before he embarked upon a major gap in his life, where he did not complete any works from 1874-1898.  After this gap in his career, he entered a second stage in his life, where his work was widely regarded.

Benczur Gyula - Laszlo's Farewell

Benczúr Gyula (1844-1920) - Laszlo's Farewell  (1866)  - 

Magyar Posta (Hungary) Stamp issued 1966 

Painting held at the National Gallery of Hungary - Budapest

This stamp probably depicts a farewell by Laszlo Hunyadi, who was a Hungarian statesman in the 15th century, who was beheaded at the young age of 24 years old.  He lived through tumultuous times as the son of the leaders in Hungarian Transylvania during this time.

The artist was known for his art that conveyed historical events, and this stamp shows one of these paintings.  The painter obtained reasonable success during his lifetime, as he won a number of awards and had reasonable international success.

Mihaly Munkacsy - Yawning Apprentice (Asito inas)

Mihaly Munkacsy (1844-1900)  - Yawning Apprentice (Asito inas) 1869

Hungarian Stamp Issued 1966

Although this is not an impressionist piece of work, at first viewing this does appear to be quite unsettling, in the style of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" which was completed in 1893, well after this work by Munkacsy.  This painting is typical of this artist's work, as he revelled in depicting scenes of people from an everyday perspective.  If a model was used for this painting, they would probably have a very sore neck and mouth at the end of the sitting.

Barabás Miklós - Girl in the Woods

Barabas Miklos (1810-1898)  - Girl in the Woods

Hungarian Stamp issued 1966

Magyar Posta

This is another Hungarian Stamp from 1966, being part of a series of stamps from the 19th Century.  Other Barabas Miklos paintings were also depicted in these stamps - this is typical of his work, depicting romanticised scenes of beauties in the wild forests - perhaps a pre-cursor to are that would follow in the latter years of the 19th century and early 20th century - depicting an unrealistic harmony with nature.

Mihaly Munkacsy - Woman Carrying Faggots (Rozsehordo no)

Mihaly Munkacsy (1844-1900)  - Woman Carrying Faggots (Rozsehordo no) (1873)

Hungarian Stamp Issued 1966

Held at the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest

Unlike some of his contemporaries, Munkacsy depicted the ordinary lives of everyday people in his genre pictures, in addition to completing works of a religious nature.  Shortly after completing this painting of a woman carry brushwood through the forest, he went on to complete a number of landscape works, although the genre paintings remain as his most famous works.

Miklos Barabas (1810-1898) - Portrait of Mrs. István Bittó (1874)

Miklos Barabas  (1810-1898) - Portrait of Mrs. István Bittó (1874)

Hungarian Stamp Issued in 1966

Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest

Barabas was mostly known for his portraits that were made of wealthy individuals within Hungarian society at the time of this painting.  This is a portrait of the wife of the Hungarian Prime Minister from 1874-1875.  The painter was also a member of the Hungarian Parliament in 1867.  

Benczúr Julius - Reading women in the woods

Benczúr Julius (1844-1920) - Reading women in the woods (1875)

Hungarian Stamp Issued in 1966

Benczur was a Hungarian born painter who gained some international recognition during his career which included a large amount of time in Munich, Germany undertaking a professorship.  He mainly did paintings of the upper classes and aristocrats when he returned to Hungary and his name is now carried by a street in Budapest.

This painting is rather idyllic and stylised for the time - an upper class 19th century lady manages to peacefully read a book in the woods in the summertime, without being attacked by flies and insects.  The stamp is a poor reproduction of the original painting, which can be found here.