Christmas, 1985

For the image, a painting from Titian “La Vierge et l’Enfant”, now in the Pinakothek at Munich, was used.

Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) (c. 1485-1576). The greatest painter of the Venetian school.

The evidence for his birthdate is contradictory, but he was certainly very old when he died. He received the more important part of his training in the studio of Giovanni Bellini, then came under the spell of Giorgione, with whom he had a close relationship. In 1506-08 he assisted him with the external fresco decoration of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Venice, and after Giorgione's early death in 1510 it fell to Titian to complete a number of his unfinished paintings. The authorship of certain works (some of them famous) is still disputed between them. For much more:

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/titian/

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/titian.html

First Day Covers (FDC) with block 63:

Design:

Editor:

Note: Blanco or airmail envelopes are not shown here but do exist.

FDC Block 63 imperforated: Not known to exist.