This year’s set of Christmas stamps is being issued by the Philatelic Bureau of MaltaPost today. This year’s set features details from three nativity paintings from the National Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta and was set by Daniel Mangani. The stamps have face values of e0.19, e0.26 and e0.37. They are printed on Maltese Crosses watermarked paper by Printex Limited and are available in sheets of 10.

The e0.19 stamp reproduces a painting by Francesco Trevisani (1656-1746) – Madonna and Child with infant St John the Baptist. Francesco Trevisani was one of the major late baroque Italian artists active in Rome during his time. He was patronised by cardinals and worked for important personalities such as the Duke of Modena for whom he produced copies after works by the great masters. His style is strongly influenced by Carlo Maratta, the author of the painting featured in another stamp of this set. The painting originally, in the Grandmaster’s Palace, was transferred to the museum in 1950.

The second stamp, denominated to e0.26 is a Nativity panel by Maestro Alberto (15th century, Northern Italian). This is a detail from a painting on panel featuring the Nativity of Christ. In this detail, the Virgin and Christ child take centre stage in front of a makeshift shed where St Joseph rests. One of two unidentified personalities, wearing 15th century contemporary costume kneels in homage. Little is known of the artist who signs as Alberto on a cartouche hanging to a support of the shed behind the Virgin. He is definitely a 15th century painter working in the Early Renaissance style. Hierarchy and importance is still however hinted through scale and size as in medieval tradition. The painting may have been commissioned by a Milanese patron as suggested by the emblem of the Sforza family seen on the left leg of a figure included in another part of the painting. It was donated to the nation via a bequest of Mrs Emilia Zammit Clapp in 1922.

The painting in the e0.37 and third stamp entitled Virgin and Child with Infant St John the Baptist was mastered by Carlo Maratta (1625-1713). Maratta was a prominent baroque painter active in Rome where he ran an art studio. He was well sought-after for his portraiture and was patronised by important personalities of his times such as Pope Alexander VII (former Inquisitor of Malta, Fabio Chigi) for whom he produced numerous commissions. The painting originally belonged to the Grandmaster’s Palace Collection. According to former Curator of Fine Arts Vincenzo Bonello, this painting originally had an ornate frame bearing the coat-of-arms of Queen Christina of Sweden.

This set is obtainable as a first day cover, in mint or cancelled format, and as a souvenir folder or presentation pack, from all MaltaPost branches in Malta and Gozo, the MaltaPost mobile Unit and the Philatelic Bureau (tel. 2596-1747, e-mail [email protected], postal address: 305, Triq Hal-Qormi, Marsa, MTP1001). Additional information regarding this and past issues is also available from the MaltaPost website www.malta post.com.