Trailblazers and Trendsetters

"Trailblazers & Trendsetters: Art of the Stamp,” an exhibition opening this Thursday at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, showcases some of the original art for postage stamps commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service during the last 50 years. The works of art featured in the exhibit are on loan from the U.S. Postal Service.

The 76 pieces on display in this exhibition are the work of more than 40 different artists; some of the original works are more than 100 times the size of the stamp on which they appear.

The works of art on display in the exhibit are a sampling of the wide range of events, people and trends that have influenced American culture—the “Trailblazers & Trendsetters” that have earned a place in the nation’s history and have been honored on stamps.

From explorers to entertainers, the “Trailblazers & Trendsetters” on exhibit represent a broad spectrum of American history and popular culture. Among the “Trailblazers & Trendsetters” on display are “Buffalo Soldiers,” “Emily Dickinson,” “Duke Ellington,” “First Man on the Moon,” “Juan Ponce de Leon” and “Laurel & Hardy.”