LIE 1976 MiNr0656 pm B002, Peter Paul Rubens

Stamp of the principality of liechtenstein; 1976; commemorative stamp of the issue "400th anniversary of birth of peter paul rubens (1577-1640)"; stamp issue with paintings by peter paul rubens from the princely art collections of liechtenstein; stamp motive with the painting "double portrait of albert and nicholas rubens" (painting name on the stamp: "the sons of the artist"), created in 1626/27; (to the pictured story see below); painting in the style of the flemish baroque; mint stamp note: quotation from the catalogue of the princely art collections: ". . Rubens captured his sons albert and nikolaus rubens in a double portrait in c. 1626/27. Like his daughter clara serena, these two children were from his first marriage, to isabella brant, and were around thirteen and nine years old respectively at the time. Nikolaus (1618–1655), the younger, still seems quite uninhibited. He ignores the viewer and is preoccupied with his goldfinch which he has tethered to a ribbon, a popular children’s game. In contrast to his younger brother, albert (1614– 1657) seems serious, almost adult, and a little precocious, not least because of his distinguished clothing and the casual elegance of his pose. His father encouraged him to read and furthered his classical education. The boy published his first poem in latin at the age of thirteen; the book in his hand definitely refers to his scholarly nature. Albert rubens ultimately became one of the most highly respected scholars of the graeco-roman world of his day. The contrast between the two brothers may be due to their different ages and characters. Possibly yet another level of meaning is concealed in the picture: in his treatise on the most famous greek painters, pliny wrote that parrhasius, the master of eloquent expression, painted two boys embodying the tranquillity of nature (securitas) and also the innocence (simplicitas) of that age. Perhaps rubens was trying to imply this theme in his portrait of his sons. . " stamp: michel: no. 656; yvert et tellier: no. 597; scott: no. 596 color: multicolored with gold watermark: none nominal value: 70 (rappen, centimes) postage validity: from 9 september 1976 until 31 december 2001 stamp picture size (printed area without signature line): 24. 5 x 38. 0 mm. Date: 9 September 1976 (first issue day of the stamp).