Art on Stamps — Article Archives

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William Harnett

from March, 2008 issue of U.S. Stamp News Magazine
by John F. Dunn

William Michael Harnett was born in Ireland in 1848 and was brought to Philadelphia as an infant. While training as a silver engraver, in 1866 he took evening classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Moving to New York in 1869, he worked in an engraving shop there while also attending the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art—and later the National Academy of Design. He returned to Philadelphia, and his studies at the Pennsylvania Academy, in 1876.

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Allegory of Spring by Sandro Botticelli

Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi ~ Sandro Botticelli ~ 1445–1510

The Allegory of Spring (left) 1477-78 ~ Also known as Primavera or simply just Spring. the painting depicts the Goddess in the center, featured on the San Marino stamp issued in 1972. To her left is Mercury and the three Graces. The Graces alone are shown on the U.S. issued Pan Am stamp. Above the Goddess is Amour, more commonly known as Cupid and the subject of the 1996 issued Ghana stamp. To her right are Spring, Flora, and Zephyr. Flora who is taking flowers from spring is cropped and shown on the Guinea-Bissau stamp issued in 1985.

Click here to learn more about the many stamps created from the art of Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi ~ Sandro Botticelli ~ 1445–1510, an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance.
by John F. Dunn

Art Stamp Pages for Sale

The stamp and painting (top left), Music and Literature by William Harnett, is part of the 1998 Four Centuries of American Art set of 20. We have created a set of pages on which you can display this set of stamps. Please click here for further information.