Australian Animal Sketches - Charles-Alexandre Lesueur & Ferdinand Bauer

Port Lincoln Parrot by Ferdinand Bauer & Kangaroo by Charles-Alexandre Lesueur 

Australian Stamps issued on 4 April 2002 - Joint issue with France

Flinders-Baudin Bicentenary

On the 8th April 1802, the French Explorer Baudin and the English Explorer Flinders crossed paths at Encounter Bay, off the coast of South Australia.  The two nations were great rivals as they both tried to map and document scientific discoveries throughout the region during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars of 1792-1815.

The artistic sketches of the animals discovered on the Australian continent are depicted on the stamps - the original sketches are held at the Natural History Museums in London and Paris respectively.

Rita Angus - Wanaka Landscape

Rita Angus (1908-1970) - Wanaka Landscape (1939)

New Zealand 35c Stamp Issued 1983

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

This is an earlier work by Rita Angus, who was featured in 4 stamps that were issued in 1983.   Wanaka is in the south central region of New Zealand's South Island.  This painting was completed by the artist on one of many trips that were made to this part of the country, as she was studying and working in Christchurch.

Salvador Dali - Christ of Saint John of the Cross

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) - Christ of St John of the Cross (1951)

Guyana 25c Stamp Issued Easter 1968

This is one of Dali's most popular and moving works - currently held in the Kelvingrove Gallery in Glasgow. 

The perspective is amazing, as Dali looks down on the crucified Christ, but we have a scene underneath, which is clearly painted from a front perspective.  Christ is not harmed by the nails in his hands, there is no blood and he does not wear a crown of thorns.    The painting was reportedly vandalised by someone in 1961, as they took offence at the perspective - looking down on Christ.

The scene at the base of the painting is from Port Lligat, a place that inspired Dali throughout his art career.  The people beside the boat are derived from a picture by Le Nain and from a drawing by Velazquez for The Surrender of Breda.

Rita Angus - Central Otago Landscape

Rita Angus (1908-1970) - Central Otago Landscape 1953-56

New Zealand 30c Stamp issued 1983

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Rita Angus was a well established New Zealand artist during the art deco period, with her work being heavily influenced by the cubism movement and Byzantine art. She lived in the South Island of New Zealand and was mainly known for landscape works.

This work is the result of a trip to Central Otago by the artist in 1953. The stamp is one of a series of 4 works by Rita Angus that were depicted on NZ stamps in 1983.

Thomas Fuller - Design for Parliament Buildings, Ottawa

Thomas Fuller (1822-1898) - Design for Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, 1859

Canadian 35c Stamp Issued 1980 Canada

Royal Academy of Arts Issue

This stamp was part of a series to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Academy of Arts for Canada.  Thomas Fuller sketched this drawing, but he is more famous for his work as a architect in Canada - he designed the Parliament Buildings for Canada, which were occupied from 1865 to 1915, before being destroyed by fire - this was originally suspected to be a German plot, according to Australian newspapers at the time: 

Extract from The Argus, Feb 5, 1916:

FIRE AT OTTAWA - PARLIAMENT HOUSE BURNING.

German Plot Suspected.

News reached London from Ottawa at an early hour this morning that the Dominion House of Parliament was on fire.

The library has been destroyed, and the fire at latest was still defying the efforts of the firemen to control it.

Two explosions were heard after the outbreak was observed. It is suspected that the fire is the result of a German plot.

Mr. Martin Burrell, Minister for Agriculture, sustained burns on the hands and face.

J Scott - Flying Cloud Off Whitby

J Scott - Flying Cloud Off Whitby (1871)

Australia 5c Stamp issued 1998 - Maritime Heritage - Romance of Sail

Held at the Australian National Maritime Museum

Painted in 1871 by John Scott, this picture depicts the three-masted extreme clipper ship Flying Cloud sailing off the port of Whitby, North Yorkshire. An American flag is on its mizzen-mast spanker boom and a house flag on its main mast. In 1854, the famous ship made the journey between New York and San Francisco in 89 days and eight hours, creating a world record that was not broken until 1989. (Commentary: Courtesy Australian National Maritime Museum).

This is one of four stamps of the "Romance of Sail" series from 1998.

L.S. Lowry - Children Coming Out Of School

L.S. Lowry (1887-1976) - Children Coming out of School (1927)

Great Britain Stamp issued 1967

20th Century Painting Series

Lawrence Stephen Lowry secretly held down a day job, while also being a famous painter during his lifetime, living around the Manchester area of England in the 20th Century.  This stamp was issued while we was still alive.  His works depict working class life in the north of England during the height of the industrial revolution. The Lancashire Local History website gives a lot more information about this artist.