Famous paintings on stamps

Who doesn’t love an artworld masterpiece, in a gallery or on a letter? American author Donald D Spencer looks at some of the most famous examples of postage stamps featuring European and American examples of classic artworks

Every century has produced great art masterpieces. Regardless of the subject matter, these canvases portrayed the world as seen through the artist’s eye. Over the years, there have been as many styles of art as there have been origins and tastes of the artists themselves. Yet, even without fully understanding the complexity of composition, colour, and texture, we can identify the master works of each period. They each have the ability to stir our emotions and spark our interest.

The first representation of artwork and paintings on postage stamps date back to the 19th century. They consisted primarily of engraved portraits featuring famous people and monarchs. In the 1940s and 1950s, reproductions of drawings and paintings on stamps became widespread, and by the 1960s and 1970s, high-quality colour stamp sets with reproductions of well-known masterpieces were being issued all over the world on a regular basis. Collecting stamps with artworks became very popular, and new stamp issues flooded the market.

Art stamps are some of the most beautiful and unique postage stamp topics people can collect. They feature paintings of historical figures, natural wonders, animals, royalty, botanicals, historical events, everyday people, religious topics, holidays, and more (Fig 1).

World-famous artists and their paintings have been featured on postage stamps through the ages. Matisse, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, Rockwell, Durer, Renoir, and Picasso are just a few of the creative geniuses you will find on topical art stamps. Several thousand stamps currently in circulation are dedicated to these famous artists. Several styles of art are available, including cubism, surrealism, abstract, impressionist, modern, contemporary, and more.

We all have a world view about everything in life. Paintings will give you a whole new perspective to look at things, through the painter’s vision. Let’s explore some of the most celebrated paintings which have been featured on stamps across the globe.

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as ‘the best known,