LX850, Christmas, 1977

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was born into the family of a Calvinist who had to live in exile from Antwerp. On his father's death, Ruben’s mother returned to Antwerp in 1587, where he was brought up and educated in the Catholic faith. At the age of fourteen (1591) he entered the household of a Flemish princess as a page, and began to study painting first under Tobias Verhaecht, then under Adam van Noort, and then under Otho Venius. In 1598, he was accepted as master in the Lukas Guild, though continued to work in Venius’s workshop until 1600.

Date of issue: 12 December 1977

Design: After a painting by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

Engraving: Jean de Vos

Printing & editor: Rodan, Brussels

Size engraving: 34 x 34 mm.

Circulation: limited edition between 400 and 700*

* These etching where printed on a double folded mould-made paper sheet, on the inside the Christmas wishes were written or printed (see underneath an example). Some people kept the left side of this card, which made the “luxury sheet”; it goes without saying that the majority many were lost or damaged in the mail.

LX850. Imperforated luxury sheet, orange.100F

Etching on mould-made paper

There are no variations or curiosities known for none of the above shown material.