Tips on Stamp Collecting

Vincent van Gogh 1990

Van Gogh Museum reopened

In the end of June 1999 the doors of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam were opened for the public again. During the last months a huge internal rebuilding took place. Besides that the building was enlarged with a new wing designed by the Japanese Kisho Kurokawa. In the future this new part of the building will be used for temporary exhibitions.

Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh (1853-1890) was born as the eldest son of a vicar in Groot-Zundert in Noord-Brabant. After attending school in Zevenbergen Vincent worked at the art gallery Goupil & Co in The Hague. For this firm he worked at the offices in London and Paris.
In 1876 Van Gogh resigned and became a preacher in Ramsgate and Isleworth for a short while, after which he returned to The Nertherlands and accepted a job at the bookshop "Blussé & Van Braam" in Dordrecht.
Following a short religious study in Amsterdam and Brussels Vincent moved to the Borinage to work as a preacher. Soon he was fired. He came back to Holland and began to paint.
For two years Vincent lived and painted in The Hague. He learned a lot from his nephew, the artist Mauve, but soon escaped the city. In Drenthe (and later Nuenen) he painted farmers and the countryside. In this period he made his famous painting "The Potato Eaters".

After a short stay in Antwerp Van Gogh moved to France in 1885. In France his palette gradually changed to brighter colors. In Arles Vincent met and painted with Gauguin. Soon the two artists were arguing and Gauguin left him.
Vincent was hospitalised in the cloister of Saint-Rémy for his mental health. His brother Theo suggested Vincent to go to the doctor and art lover Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise. Cachet was very interested and dedicated to Vincent.
Van Gogh painted many portraits and landscapes at Auvers, many of them with heavy brushstrokes and very colourful. But at the age of 37 Vincent committed suicide by using a pistol.
Six months later his brother Theo died. Over the years Theo kept all the letters he received from his brother Vincent. This correspondence provides a detailed view on the live and work of the artist.

The commemoratives of 1990

In 1990 the death of Vincent van Gogh was remembered with two stamps in The Netherlands. The commemoration was not only done with stamps. Also some important exhibitions were held in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and in Museum Kröller Müller in Otterlo. Many books and other products about or with pictures of the work of the artist were put on the market.

Design

In "Pro-fil" the designer Treumann explained his work: "Van Gogh's genuine personality showed off in his paintings, drawings and letters. From the start it was clear for my client and myself that these three aspects of his work should be incorporated in the design of the two stamps."
Treumann used a similar design for both stamps by using a strict plan. The typography is to the point and provides a distinct framework for the two different art pieces. It was the intention of the designer to incorporate the various styles and techniques used by Van Gogh in which he succeeded very well. Often the subject art on stamps is presented in a boring way. Treumann showed designers around the world how to cope with this problem. Not only the paintings are pictured, but the spirit and struggle of the artist is revealed on these two pieces of paper.

55 ct Vincent van Gogh

Subject: Drawing "Self-portrait".
Design: Otto Treumann.
Issue: 11.734.000 stamps.
Date issued: 6 March 1990.
Size: 25 x 36 mm.
Sheets: Double, 10 x 10.
Gum: D2b.
Print: Offset on Heidelberg press.
Perforation: Comb 12,75:13,25.
Plate numbers: L 11111, R 11111.
Plate characteristics:
Broken "a" of "Nederland".
Broken "a" of "van" (pos. 6).

75 ct Vincent van Gogh

Subject: Painting "Green Vineyard".
Design: Otto Treumann.
Issue: 16.218.000 stamps.
Date issued: 6 March 1990.
Size: 25 x 36 mm.
Sheets: Double, 10 x 10.
Gum: D2b.
Print: Offset on Heidelberg press.
Perforation: Comb 12,75:13,25.
Plate numbers: L 11111, R 11111, L 12111, R 12111.