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Philatelic News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2002
Stamp Release #02-066
Renaissance Art Will Be Featured On This Year's Christmas Stamp
WASHINGTON - The spirit of the holiday season is captured on this year's Christmas stamp featuring artist Jan Gossaert's "Madonna and Child." The new 37-cent stamp will be issued Oct. 10 by the U.S. Postal Service in Chicago, Ill.The public is invited to the first day of issue ceremony, which will be held on Oct. 10 at 11:00 AM in the Arthur Rubloff Auditorium at The Art Institute of Chicago, 230 Columbus Ave., Chicago, Ill.
The 2002 Christmas stamp will be available at Chicago post offices starting Oct. 10 and at post offices nationwide beginning the following day.
"The new Christmas stamp celebrates this important Christian holiday with good tidings for families, friends and customers, who look forward to the delivery of their holiday cards and letters," said Danny Jackson, Vice President of the Great Lakes Area for the Postal Service, who will dedicate the stamp.
The Christmas stamps have attracted a devoted following since the first Christmas stamp was issued in 1961. Since 1966 the series has mostly featured renaissance paintings depicting the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus. The 2002 stamp highlights a detail of Jan Gossaert's oil-on-panel painting, "Madonna and Child," circa 1520, from the Charles H. and Mary F.S. Worcester Collection at The Art Institute of Chicago.
Jan Gossaert (circa 1478 to 1532) was a Netherlandish artist credited with being one of the first to bring the innovations of the Italian Renaissance to northern Europe. Specifically, he introduced a greater awareness of anatomy and architectural space to Netherlandish painting. Gossaert was a noted draftsman and painter.
Because Gossaert was a transitional figure in Northern Renaissance art, it is hard to classify him as a member of any single school or style of painting. He has been called a Romanist, Antwerp mannerist, and humanist. Gossaert, whose name is also spelled Gossart, is sometimes referred to as Mabuse or Jan Mabuse, the result of his occasionally having used the name of his hometown, Maubeuge (now in northern France), in signing his paintings.
Richard Sheaff of Scottsdale, Ariz.was designer and art director for the stamp. To see the Christmas stamp, visit the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com and locate the online version of this press release by clicking on "News and Events" then "Philatelic News."
Current U.S. stamps, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available toll free by calling 1 800 STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available in the Postal Store at www.usps.com.
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TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Christmas: Jan Gossaert's Madonna and Child
Item Number: 670200
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Special
Format: Convertible Booklet of 20 (1 design)
Series: Christmas
Issue Date & City: October 10, 2002, Chicago, IL 60607
Artist: Jan Gossaert, painting from the Charles H. and Mary F.S. Worcester collection at The Art Institute of Chicago
Designer: Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Engraver: N/A
Art Director: Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Typographer: Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Modeler: Banknote Corporation of America, Inc. (BCA)
Manufacturing Process: Offset/Microprinting
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America, Inc. (BCA)
Printed at: Brown Summit, NC
Press Type: Goebel, 670
Stamps per Booklet: 20
Print Quantity: 739.2 million stamps
Paper Type: Pre-phosphored, Type I
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: BCA, Browns Summit, NC
Colors: Yellow, Cyan, Black, PMS 185 (Red)
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.75 x 1.03 in./19.05 x 26.16 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in./23.11 x 30.23 mm
Booklet Size (w x h) : 4.55 x 5.0 in./115.57 x 127.0 mm
Plate Size: 400 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "B" followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: " © 1999 USPS" " Plate Numbers " Peel here to fold "
Self-adhesive stamps " DO NOT WET
Catalog Item Number(s): 670240 Convertible booklet of 20 - $7.40
670261 First Day Cover - $0.75
670297 Panel - $8.75
How to Order the First Day of Issue Postmark
Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1 800-STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: CHRISTMAS MADONNA AND CHILD, POSTMASTER, 433 W HARRISON ST 9TH FLOOR, CHICAGO, IL 60607-9998
After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by November 9, 2002.
Stamp Fulfillment Services (SFS) also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by telephoning 1 800-STAMP-24 or writing to: INFORMATION FULFILLMENT, DEPT 6270, US POSTAL SERVICE, PO BOX 219014, KANSAS CITY, MO 64121-9014. First day covers remain on sale at least one year after the stamp's issuance.
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Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 137 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $65 billion, it is the world's leading provider of postal services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume-some 207 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves 7 million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide.
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