Florentine Madonna and Child 2016 Forever Stamps — Renaissance Art Collection

Issue facts

Issued: October 18, 2016
First Day City: Washington, DC
Type of Stamp: First Class Mail
Printed by: Ashton Potter Ltd.
Method: Offset, Microprint

Florence in the 15th century

The city was the center of the Italian Renaissance and, under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, a magnet for artists. Religious subjects dominated what hung in its churches and collections, and no subject appeared more often than the Madonna and Child. Florentine painters each had their own hand, but most worked toward naturalism — detailed, precise, convincingly alive.

How these paintings were made

Egg tempera on wooden panel was the standard medium. Painters ground pigment into egg yolk, sometimes cutting it with white wine or vinegar. The mixture smelled strongly even after drying, and some artists added myrrh simply to make the studio bearable.

Tempera was demanding to work with and exceptionally durable, which is the reason a number of these panels survive in good condition — and why it is still possible to stand in front of one and watch Renaissance painting develop.

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