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What: |
First-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Madonna and Child by Bachiacca Forever stamps. Bachiacca was known as an Italian Renaissance painter. His work still vividly evokes the timeless traditions of Christmas. News of the stamp is being shared on social media using the hashtags #ReligiousStamps and #ChristmasStamps. |
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Who: |
Kelly M. Sigmon, Vice President, Customer Experience, U.S. Postal Service |
| When: |
Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018, 9:30 a.m., Mountain Daylight Time |
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Where: |
Loretto Chapel Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view the ceremony live at facebook.com/USPS. |
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Background: |
Five centuries ago, Francesco d’Ubertino Verdi (1494–1557), the Italian Renaissance painter known as Bachiacca, proved to be a versatile and popular Florentine artist. This Christmas stamp features a detail of Bachiacca’s oil-and-gold-on-panel painting “Madonna and Child”, which dates from the early 1520s, showing the Christ child clutching a bouquet of jasmine, a symbol of divine love, alongside the Virgin Mary’s profile, left shoulder and right hand. This painting is part of the Jack and Belle Linsky Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. William J. Gicker served as art director for this stamp, and Greg Breeding was the designer. |
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. Information on ordering first-day-of-issue postmarks and covers is at usps.com/shop under “Collectors.” A video of the ceremony will be available on Facebook.com/usps.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. This ceremony is free and open to the public.
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For U.S. Postal Service media resources, including broadcast quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel, like us on Facebook and enjoy our Postal Posts blog. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.
