Alessandro Botticelli - Adoration of the Magi.

Alessandro Botticelli - Adoration of the Magi. 

Dominica 1c Stamp Issued 1973

Painting completed c.1475. 

Painting held at Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy

This stamp was developed from Botticelli's most famous work, being "Adoration of the Magi".  The stamp itself does not include the entire painting, as only the central part of the painting has been captured.  The entire painting contains more details of this gathering, where the manger has been set up in the ruins of a Roman style temple.  The figures at the front of the painting are clothed in rich garments in the original painting.

Botticelli - Madonna del Libro

Alessandro Botticelli (1444-1510) - Madonna del Libro

Painting completed in 1480

Hungary Stamp issued in 1969

Painting Held at Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan, Italy

Botticelli was one of the great renaissance painters who gained fame for painting a number of Madonna scenes.  This stamp covers part of one his most famous Madonna depictions.  He was also commissioned to work on frescos in the Sistine Chapel along with other painters at the time.  


It is also interesting to note that Botticelli was a follower of Savonarola in the latter stages of his life.  Savonarola a priest and leader in Florence at the time, who was known for advocating book burning, opposition against the renaissance and the destruction of immoral art.  It is said that Botticelli destroyed some of his own artworks.

Frans van Mieris - Duet

Frans Van Mieris (1635-1681) - Duet

Stamp issued East Germany DDR 1982

Painting completed 1658, held at Slaatliches Museum Schwerin

Van Mieris painted in the "Leiden Fijnschilders" (fine painting) style where small paintings were composed and meticulously executed in a manner aimed at reproducing reality.  He was a master of the Dutch Golden Age.

This painting was completed at a time when he was specialising in depicting the lives of the upper classes in Holland.  Clothing fabrics are richly ornate and the house is expensively furnished. 

The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC held an exhibition on the works by Frans van Mieris in 2006. 

Ivan Khrutsky - Portrait of an Unknown Woman with Fruit

Ivan Khrutsky - Portrait of an Unknown Woman with Fruit

Painting completed in 1838 - USSR Stamp issued 1983

Art Museum of Belarus Minsk

This stamp was difficult to research, as it does not seem to appear in catalogues that are available freely on the internet.  

Ivan Khrutsky (1810-1885) was trained in St Petersburg and he was most famous for still life and some portraits early in his career, before moving onto landscapes when he moved away from St Petersburg later in his life.

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).

Aleksandr M. Lopuhov - To Petrograd

Aleksandr Lopuhov - To Petrograd

USSR Stamp Issued in 1979

Painting completed 1953

I'm guessing that this patriotic Russian painting depicts Lenin on the way to Petrograd (now St Petersburg) prior to the October Revolution which brought him to power.  This painting was completed in the year that Stalin died, while the stamp was issued in 1979 at the height of the Cold War.

Hosoda Eishi - Geisha in Boat

Chobunsai Eishi - Geisha in Boat

Hungary 60ft Stamp Issued 1971

Chosunsai Eishi (1756-1829) was a Japanese painter and wood block designer who depicted images of courtesans and geishas.  Although he was born into the samurai class, he left the public service to devote his time wholly to art.  

His work became prominent in the 1790s, with many artists copying his style, especially in terms of elongating the heads of the geishas.  His work was influenced by Torii Kiyonaga.