Millions of Americans celebrating Christmas this year can mail their holiday greetings bearing the image of a rare piece of art, now that the U.S. Postal Service has issued the Christmas: Madonna and Sleeping Child by Sassoferrato stamp.
Since 1978, the theme of each “traditional” Christmas stamp has been the Madonna and Child. The 2009 Christmas stamp features Madonna and Sleeping Child, a painting by Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi, (1609–1685), more commonly known as Sassoferrato.
The painting depicted on the stamp shows a blonde Madonna clothed in red and cradling the sleeping Christ Child in purple cloth. From each of the two top corners, the childlike face of a cherub looks down from the clouds. The painting is currently in the collection of Hearst Castle in California.
The stamp 'Christmas: Madonna and Sleeping Child' is denominated at 44 cents.
- Mrs. Nagalakshmi Tadakaluri, Philatelist.
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