Louis Le Nain - Adoration of the Shepherds

Louis le Nain (1593-1648) - Adoration of the Shepherds (circa 1640)

Great Britain Stamp issued 1967

Held at the UK National Gallery 

 Louis le Nain was one of three brothers who were famous for depicting common scenes from peasant life, during a time when many artists were painting scenes of excessive richness and plentitude in other parts of Europe.  This religious scene made it to a Christmas stamp in the UK in 1967.

The Annunciation - Artist Unknown (Savoy School France)

Unknown Artist from the Savoy School (1480) - "The Annunciation"

France Stamp issued 1970 - 1 Franc

This stamp depicts a favourite scene from renaissance artists, being the annuniciation, or otherwise known as the time when the angel Gabriel came on down to earth to let Mary know that she was going to have a little baby Jesus.  

St John the Baptist - Artist Unknown

St John the Baptist - Artist Unknown (1592)

Bulgarian Stamp Issued 1988

This is one of two stamps issued to depict two cultural icons from the municipality of Kardzhali in south western Bulgaria in 1988.  

Heritage of Kardzhali (Bulgaria) - St George Slaying the Dragon

St George Slaying the Dragon - A Painting from 1841 (Artist Unknown)

8cm Bulgaria Stamp Issued 1988

This stamp was issued in Bulgaria in 1988, as one of two stamps depicting paintings of historical significance in the Kardzhali region of south east Bulgaria.

Nikolai Yaroshenko - Kursistka

Nikolai Yaroshenko (1846-1898) - Kursistka (1863)

Russian USSR Stamp Issued 1971

Russian Museum in Kiev.

Yaroshenko was an artist who depicted he realism of life in the late 19th century in Russia. His paintings were often depressing in nature, with torture, struggles, gothic fashion and hardships being common in Russia at the time.  The artist also managed to maintain a very good career in the army, as he achieved the rank of Major General by the time he retired in the 1890s.

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.