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 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.

Two Trinities by Bartolome Murillo

The Two Trinities (1682) by Bartolome Murillo
New Zealand 3d Stamp Issued Christmas 1965
National Gallery, London

Murillo (1617-1682) specialised in religious paintings as one of two leading artists in 17th Century Spain - the other being Velazquez.  This painting features two trinities - the first being the Holy Trinity of father, son and ghost, while the other is the earthly trinity of Mary, Joseph and Jesus - the holy family.  The light and mood in this painting is very striking.

Murillo faced extensive personal loss during his long life.  He outlived three wives and all but three of his nine children.  He also survived the plague that hit Seville in 1649, wiping out half the population of the city.  No wonder his work included heavenly clouds and cherubs, as it must have been a welcome way to avoid all the death and sadness on earth!

Another of Murillo's works features in a UK stamp issue in 1967: Madonna in the Clouds.

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)

The Madonna in Prayer by Sassoferrato

Madonna in Prayer (1609-1684) by Sassoferrato (1650)
New Zealand 2d Stamp Issued 1962 Christmas
National Gallery London

This work is rich in colour and volume with the heavy draperies of the virgin.  Sassoferrato was heavily influenced by Raphael.  Most of his work consisted of devotional religious paintings, many of which were repeated.  He was trained Umbria by his father, prior to reaching the peak of his career in Rome.

The stamp was very popular and it was awarded the Philatelic Societies of San Francisco award for the most beautiful stamp of the year.

Stamps that include works by Raphael:
Madonna and the Goldfinch (1505)
The Large Cowper Madonna (1507)
The Virgin and Child (1508)
The School of Athens (1511)

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.

Adoration of the Shepherds by a pupil of Rembrandt

Adoration of the Shepherds (1646) by a pupil of Rembrandt
2d Christmas Stamp Issued New Zealand 1960
National Gallery in London

This painting was re-examined in 2009 by the National Gallery and it has been confirmed that it is highly likely that it was not completed by Rembrandt, but by a pupil of his.  The layering of paint was found to be quite different to other works by Rembrandt when the painting was studied in detail with modern scientific equipment during the 2009 clean.  Another Rembrandt painting of the same period shows a very similar scene in a reverse format.  Details of this recent discovery are on the National Gallery website.

This was also the first Christmas stamp to be issued in New Zealand - at first there was concern that the postmarking of used stamps with a religious painting may not be appropriate to Christian sensibilities.

Link to other works by Rembrandt.

Gregorio Lazzarini - Love

Gregorio Lazzarini (1655-1730) - Love
Hungary 60F Stamp Issued 1970
Christian Museum, Esztergom, Hungary

Lazzarini's biggest claim to fame is that he trained Tiepolo in his studio when he was a found artist.  Lazzarini was born of a fairly privileged family in Venice, although his parents died young.  He was able to pursue a career in art from a very young age as a result of his parents riches.  The majority of his work was religious in nature, which was very common for the times.

Guido Reni - Adoration of the Shepherds

Guido Reni (1575-1642) - Adoration of the Shepherds (1640)
Anguilla Stamp Issued in 1973
Painting located at Pushkin Museum, Russia

Reni was a baroque style artist who took great pleasure in painting many religious scenes - Adoration of the Shepherds was one his favourites, as he did several versions of it.  His paintings are used on many Christmas cards throughout the world.

Anguilla issued this 1c stamp in 1973.  With a population of only 13.500, Anguilla is a British Territory and tax haven located in the Caribbean.

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

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.

Madonna and Child - Artist unidentified

Cook Islands Stamp 1c issued 1974
Madonna and Children

I've not been able to identify the painting or artist for this stamp that was issued by the Cook Islands in 1974.  Cook Islands produce many stamps each year, probably as a source of income for the country.  The islands are north east of New Zealand in the Pacific Ocean.

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

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo - Madonna and the Goldfinch

Giovanni Tiepolo - Madonna and the Goldfinch (1760)
USA 20c Stamp issued 1982
Held at the National Gallery of Art Washington

Tiepolo is a highly regarded 18th century artist who is primarily known for his huge fresco works that were epic and grand - these were completed in the 1750s and are located through many churches and estates in Venice and surrounding regions.  He also worked as far afield as Madrid.


This painting depicts a very pale Madonna and child with fat rosy cheeks.  The goldfinch is meant to symbolise the eventual violent death of the child many years later - interestingly, another painting was completed by Raphael in the early 1500s with the same name and subject, so Tiepolo was covering familiar religious themes with this work.

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.