Why the Stamp Was Issued: This Traditional Christmas stamp was issued for use on holiday mail during the 2024 season.
About the Stamp Design: The image on the stamp is based on the painting, Madonna and Child, created in the workshop of Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as ??Sassoferrato.?? The stamp was designed by Greg Breeding.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue ceremony for the Madonna and Child stamp, along with the contemporary Christmas stamp, took place at the Smithsonian??s National Postal Museum in Washington, DC. Another ceremony was held on September 17 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, where an original version of the painting that inspired the stamp is housed.
Traditional Christmas Series: In 1966, the Post Office issued its first Madonna and Child stamp, based on a 15th-century painting by Flemish painter Hans Memling. The stamp was very popular, with over 1.1 billion printed. This led the Post Office to issue another traditional Christmas stamp in 1968, featuring the Angel Gabriel. In 1969, they shifted to more contemporary holiday themes, before deciding in 1970 to issue both a Traditional Christmas stamp and a Contemporary Christmas stamp. This approach proved popular, and both Traditional and Contemporary Christmas stamps have been issued ever since.
History Behind the Stamp: During the 17th century, Sassoferrato gained popularity for his devotional paintings. His style was largely inspired by Renaissance artists of the 15th century, particularly Raphael.
Sassoferrato was born Giovanni Battista Salvi (1609-85) and took his popular name from his birthplace, Sassoferrato, Italy. He moved to Rome during the counter-Reformation, a period of renewal for the Catholic Church, which created a high demand for religious imagery.
Throughout most of his career, Sassoferrato painted images of the Virgin Mary, Madonna and Child, and the Holy Family. He created original works, which were then copied by artists in his workshop. While the overall compositions were the same, some details were altered, making each painting slightly different. Many of these paintings were made for private collectors. However, Sassoferrato also kept a stack of completed paintings in the workshop, ready to sell.
One of Salvi??s many Madonna and Child paintings appears on the 2024 Traditional Christmas stamp. It is unknown whether the painting used as the basis for the stamp was painted by Sassoferrato himself or one of his workshop artists.
