Saturday, January 6, 2018

Aitutaki: Christmas, angels



The island nation of Aitutaki (part of the Cook Island archipelago in the South Pacific) issued a set of 8 stamps in 1994 for Christmas featuring various religious paintings. Two sets of four stamps were denominated 85c and 90c. They featured various representations of the birth of Jesus: Mary, magi, angels, etc. These stamps saw little postal use and are generally collected as attached blocks of four stamps. On the 85c block, the UR stamp (Scott 508b) shows angels on the perimeter, holding musical instruments. One of the angels is holding a portativ organ. Memling painted several versions of the nativity story on various commissions. This particular painting is known as the Donne Triptych and is at the National Gallery, London, UK. It was completed in 1478.



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