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.

Boris Kustodiev - The Merchant's Wife

The Merchant's Wife by Boris Kustodiev 

Painting completed 1912 Russian Stamp Issued 1978 

The Russian Museum, St Petersburg

This is the most famous painting by this Russian painter who used bright colours and realism in his work.  There is a hint of satire in this work, as the cat looks as though it is about to make a big mess of the rich merchant's wife's table.  The use of colour and brightness constrasts with the artist's life at this time as he was confined to a wheelchair in his studio from 1912.  

Although he did travel outside Russia for training and medical reasons, he constantly depicted scenes from Russian life with an emphasis on merchants and folk life.

Perino del Vaga - The Holy Family

Perino DEL VAGA - The Holy Family

Australia 55c Stamp issued 1978, Painting completed 1545

Th Madonna and the Child - Jan Van Eyck

Jan Van Eyck - The Madonna and the Child
Australia 15c Stamp Issued 1978
National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne 

This painting was purchased from the Felton Bequest by the NGV in 1923.