Stamp Portraits - A Delicate Balance

USPS' online Beyond the Perf in an article titled A Delicate Balance says, "Developing stamp portraits for popular and historically significant figures often requires the Postal Service to balance competing viewpoints. Each stamp needs to feature an enduring, classic image that meets the public's preconceptions while also acknowledging the more intimate perspective of the subject's family."

It goes on to explain, "Postal Service executives, researchers and artists frequently discuss proposed artwork based on a stamp subject's public persona. However, the public usually hears little about the role of the family or estate. Their influence is profound: Often, their comments lead to minor alterations in stamp design; sometimes, their input results in a completely new piece of art."

It goes behind the scene and talks about how the phiatelic of portraits of Anna Julia Cooper, Ronald Reagan, and Judy Garland came to be.

To read the entire article, click here.