What:

The U.S. Postal Service is dedicating a new Christmas stamp featuring “Virgin and Child,” an oil-on-panel painting from the first half of the 16th century by an unidentified Florentine artist known as “the Master of Scandicci Lamentation.”

The first-day-of-issue event for the Forever stamp is free and open to the public for those who have RSVP’d. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #VirginAndChildStamp.

Who:

Jenny Utterback, the Postal Service’s vice president organization development and dedicating official

When:

Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET.

Where:

Museum of Fine Arts Boston
465 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115

RSVP:

Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at: usps.com/virginandchild

Background:

The painting depicts the Virgin Mary gazing downward at the infant Christ, one of her arms holding him protectively at his waist, the other tenderly touching his arm, while the Christ child turns his head to look out of the frame to the left.

The 16th-century painting “Virgin and Child” is part of the Robert Dawson Evans Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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