BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Natl Postal Museum -- Exhibit (MIA Galleries 6): New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art

DC -- Natl Postal Museum -- Exhibit (MIA Galleries 6): New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art:

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Description of Pictures: New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art
December 10, 2015 – March 13, 2017
Level 1: Mail in America Galleries
This exhibition of original artwork explores the diversity of topics highlighting the cultural heritage of New York City. The exhibition provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the Postmaster General’s Art Collection which the museum has acquired through a long-term agreement with the United States Postal Service. Thirty pieces of original artwork divided into six categories—Baseball, Broadway, City Life, Icons, Politics and Government, and Music—depict a variety of art styles and mediums used to create some of America’s most beautiful stamps. The artwork celebrates important citizens, events and iconic buildings that have defined New York City as one of the greatest cities in the world.
Six of the portraits, one from each category, will be temporarily on display at the World Stamp Show—NY 2016 (May 28, 2016 – June 3, 2016) as part of the museum’s major contribution to this once-per-decade international philatelic event.

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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[1] NYSTAM_151210_003_STITCH.JPG

[2] NYSTAM_151210_005.JPG	[3] NYSTAM_151210_011.JPG	[4] NYSTAM_151210_016.JPG
[5] NYSTAM_151210_019.JPG	[6] NYSTAM_151210_024.JPG	[7] NYSTAM_151210_032.JPG
[8] NYSTAM_151210_043.JPG	[9] NYSTAM_151210_049.JPG	[10] NYSTAM_151210_056.JPG
[11] NYSTAM_151210_061.JPG	[12] NYSTAM_151210_069.JPG	[13] NYSTAM_151210_078.JPG
[14] NYSTAM_151210_088.JPG	[15] NYSTAM_151210_092.JPG	[16] NYSTAM_151210_100.JPG
[17] NYSTAM_151210_104.JPG	[18] NYSTAM_151210_109.JPG	[19] NYSTAM_151210_116.JPG
[20] NYSTAM_151210_123.JPG	[21] NYSTAM_151210_131.JPG	[22] NYSTAM_151210_142.JPG
[23] NYSTAM_151210_151.JPG	[24] NYSTAM_151210_164.JPG	[25] NYSTAM_151210_176.JPG
[26] NYSTAM_151210_187.JPG	[27] NYSTAM_151210_195.JPG	[28] NYSTAM_151210_205.JPG
[29] NYSTAM_151210_214.JPG	[30] NYSTAM_151210_222.JPG	[31] NYSTAM_151210_232.JPG
[32] NYSTAM_151210_238.JPG	[33] NYSTAM_151210_246.JPG	[34] NYSTAM_151210_253.JPG
[35] NYSTAM_151210_264.JPG	[36] NYSTAM_151210_275.JPG	[37] NYSTAM_151210_288.JPG

Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. NYSTAM_151210_011.JPG: New York City has influenced American society through architecture, art, sports, politics, and other cultural forces. One reflection of the city's impact is the number of US postage stamps with a New York City connection. When the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued the voluminous Celebrate the Century stamp series, commemorating significant events across America during the twentieth century, 23 of the 150 stamps had a New York City connection. The artwork in this exhibition was commissioned by the USPS for stamp production. These pieces are part of the Postmaster General's Collection, which the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum acquired through a long-term agreement with the USPS. These original images offer a vibrant and colorful portrait of New York City through stamp art.
2. NYSTAM_151210_019.JPG: "The only credential the city asked was the boldness to dream. For those who did, it unlocked its gates and its treasures, not caring who they were or where they came from." -- Moss Hart
3. NYSTAM_151210_024.JPG: Arturo Toscanini, an acclaimed classical musician, served as guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic from 1926 to 1936. Then, in 1937, at age 70, he took charge of the NBC Symphony, an orchestra created by the National Broadcasting Company. Toscanini led this orchestra for 17 years until his retirement in 1954. ARTURO TOSCANINI Performing Arts Series MEDIUM paper, acrylic, colored pencil ILLUSTRATOR Jim Sharpe (1936-2005) ART DIRECTOR Jack Williams FIRST DAY OF ISSUE March 25, 1989
4. NYSTAM_151210_032.JPG: Jazz originated in the African American community during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Traveling musicians spread jazz from Southern cities such as New Orleans throughout the US. In New York City, jazz found a home in the clubs and speakeasies of the Prohibition period. JAZZ Celebrate the Century: 1920s MEDIUM Paper, gouache, graphite ILLUSTRATOR Meltzer Davis (b. 1930) ART DIRECTOR Carl Herrman FIRST DAY OF ISSUE May 28, 1998
5. NYSTAM_151210_043.JPG: Merengue is a music and dance style brought to New York City night clubs by immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Regarded as the national dance and music of the Dominican Republic, merengue incorporates elements of European and African styles. MERENGUE Let's Dance Issue MEDIUM particleboard, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Rafael Lopez (b. 1961) ART DIRECTOR Ethel Kessler FIRST DAY OF ISSUE September 17, 2005
6. NYSTAM_151210_049.JPG: Tito Puente was an award-winning performer, arranger, composer and conductor. Popularly known as "El Rey" (The King), Puente bridged Afro-Caribbean musical styles and orchestral jazz. Raised in Spanish Harlem, he recorded more than 140 albums over a career that spanned more than 60 years. TITO PUENTE Latin Music Legends Issue MEDIUM particleboard, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Rafael Lopez (b. 1961) ART DIRECTOR Ethel Kessler FIRST DAY OF ISSUE March 16, 2011
7. NYSTAM_151210_056.JPG: Ethel Merman starred in some of Broadway's most popular plays, such as Girl Crazy, Anything Goes, and Annie Get your Gun. With her powerhouse voice, Merman, who was born and raised in New York City, made "There's No Business like Show Business" her signature song. ETHEL MERMAN Legends of American Music Series MEDIUM Paper, gouache, watercolor, colored pencil ILLUSTRATOR Chris F. Payne (b. 1956) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE September 1, 1991
8. NYSTAM_151210_061.JPG: Streetcars began operating along Bowery and Fourth Streets in 1832. Called "horsecars," these horse-drawn streetcars rolled along special rails in the middle of the road. Forerunners of today's mass transit system, streetcars allowed people to move quickly throughout the city and were especially crucial in Manhattan, which, during this period, was developing into a major business center. FIRST AMERICAN STREETCAR: NEW YORK CITY, 1832 Streetcars Issue MEDIUM board, acrylic, graphite, ink ILLUSTRATOR Richard Leech (1932-1993) ART DIRECTOR Richard Leech FIRST DAY OF ISSUE October 8, 1983
9. NYSTAM_151210_069.JPG: Immigration has been a powerful cultural force for New York City and the US as a whole. More than 40% of the current US population had at least one ancestor processed at Ellis Island, which opened in 1892 as a Federal immigration station. This stamp design was based on a 1905 black-and-white photo of an Italian family on a ferry from the New York City docks to Ellis Island. IMMIGRANTS ARRIVE Celebrate the Century: 1900s MEDIUM board, gouache, acrylic, colored pencil ILLUSTRATOR Richard Waldrep (b. 1943) ART DIRECTOR Carl Herrman FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 3, 1998
10. NYSTAM_151210_078.JPG: Seinfeld Television Series was a highly rated situation comedy show that ran from July 5, 1989 to May 14, 1998. Jerry Seinfeld himself actually participated in the design of the artwork, which features the interior of his fictional apartment. BROOKLYN BRIDGE Commemorative stamp MEDIUM board, gesso, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Howard Koslow (b. 1924) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE May 17, 1983
11. NYSTAM_151210_088.JPG: The First Published Crossword Puzzle appeared in the New York World Newspaper on December 21, 1913. Known as a "word-cross" puzzle, it was similar to contemporary crossword puzzles. The puzzle became a regular weekly feature and spread to other newspapers across the US. FIRST CROSSWORD PUZZLECelebrate the Century: 1910s MEDIUM board, acrylic, ink ILLUSTRATOR Dennis Lyall (b.1977) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 3, 1998
12. NYSTAM_151210_092.JPG: Thanksgiving Day Parade is an iconic annual event in New York City, associated with marching bands, large balloons depicting cartoon characters, and slow-moving floats featuring celebrities. The artist used digital software to create the final artwork. It depicts a New York City street teeming with energy and excitement on a clear but chilly November day. THANKSGIVING DAY PARADECommemorative stamps MEDIUM digital (pencil sketch, scanned, Adobe Illustrator) ILLUSTRATOR Paul Rogers (b. 1949) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE September 2, 2009
13. NYSTAM_151210_104.JPG: Icons New York City's architecture and icons are immediately recognized around the world. Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum are masterpieces of architectural design and engineering. These and other iconic landmarks help bring the city's history and stories to life, attracting visiting tourists and local New Yorkers alike. Music New York City is a vibrant hub for music, film, dance and visual art. The city's cultural and ethnic diversity has long influenced its music and dance heritage, with jazz, rock, hip-hop, salsa, and other styles thriving in all five boroughs. New York City is also home to many musical conservatories and landmarks, such as the Metropolitan Opera House and Carnegie Hall. City Life New York City grew from a small Dutch trading settlement called New Amsterdam in the early seventeenth century into a bustling multicultural city of more than 8 million people. Influenced by geography, and by ethnic, cultural and economic diversity, New York City has been a major entry port for immigrants from across the globe. Iconic elements of New York City life include its complex transportation system, established seasonal traditions, and recognizable popular culture personalities. Baseball New York City once had three major league teams: the New York Yankees, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the New York Giants. Fourteen World Series match-ups have pitted New York City teams against one another, and the famed Yankees have won the World Series 27 times. When a New Yorker (James Farley) became Postmaster General, he approved the issuance of the first baseball stamp in 1939 commemorating the baseball centennial. Broadway Broadway is much more than a major thoroughfare running through Manhattan. The word evokes the section of Broadway between 42nd Street and 53rd Street, which includes Times Square and is home to more than 40 professional theaters. This is the "Great White Way," where theater marquees illuminate the evening and convey the pulse of a city that never sleeps. Broadway has helped make New York City a cultural capital of the world. Politics New York City has one of the largest municipal governments in the US. The city's leaders have tended to champion progressive government initiatives and have frequently used their positions as springboards to state and national political roles. Because the city has a large immigrant population, municipal leaders have often exerted influence outside the US. The city's international role has attracted global institutions, such as the United Nations.
14. NYSTAM_151210_109.JPG: World Series Rivals depicts the crosstown rivalry between the Yankees and the Dodgers. During the 1950's, the Yankees played in eight World Series, including four against the Dodgers, who beat the Yankees once. The transit token is a reminder that these intra-city match-ups were known as "subway series." WORLD SERIES RIVALS Celebrate the Century: 1950s MEDIUM paper, gouache, graphite ILLUSTRATOR Dean Ellis (1920-2009) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 18, 1999
15. NYSTAM_151210_116.JPG: Jackie Roosevelt Robinson, the first African American major league baseball player, signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Over his ten seasons as a Dodger, he helped the team win six National League Championships and one World Series Championship. He was the first major league baseball player to be honored on a US stamp. BROOKLYN BRIDGE Commemorative stamp MEDIUM board, gesso, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Howard Koslow (b. 1924) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE May 17, 1983
16. NYSTAM_151210_123.JPG: Joe DiMaggio, born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio and nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an All-Star in each of his 13 seasons as a New York Yankee. He helped the team win ten American League Pennants and nine World Series Championships. This portrait is based on an iconic photograph showing DiMaggio following through on a right-hand swing. JOE DIMAGGIO Major League Baseball All-Stars Issue MEDIUM panel, oil ILLUSTRATOR Kadir Nelson (b. 1974) ART DIRECTOR Phil Jordan FIRST DAY OF ISSUE July 20, 2012
17. NYSTAM_151210_131.JPG: Babe Ruth, born George Herman Ruth and known as the "Sultan of Swat," hit 714 home runs and set or tied 76 records during his 15 years as a New York Yankee. He helped the team win seven American League Pennants and four World Series Championships. This artwork was a draft portrait that was not used for the final stamp design. BABE RUTH Celebrate the Century: 1920s MEDIUM paper, gouache, graphite ILLUSTRATOR Davis Meltzer (b. 1930) ART DIRECTOR Carl Herrman FIRST DAY OF ISSUE May 28, 1998
18. NYSTAM_151210_142.JPG: The Shot Heard ‘Round the World honors the 1951 National League Championship series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. In the bottom of the ninth, the Giants' Bobby Thomson hit a three-run homer that gave the Giants a 5-4 National League Pennant victory. SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD Celebrate the Century: 1950s MEDIUM paper, gouache, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Dean Ellis (1920-2009) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE May 26, 1999
19. NYSTAM_151210_151.JPG: Moss Hart was an award-winning dramatist, director, performer, producer, theater owner and writer. He won a Tony Award as director of the musical My Fair Lady. This portrait shows Hart surrounded by marquee-style titles of three of his famous plays. A fourth marquee displays his name and evokes the iconic feel of Broadway at night. Moss Hart Literary Arts Series MEDIUM board, oil ILLUSTRATOR Tim O'Brien (b. 1964) ART DIRECTOR Ethel Kessler FIRST DAY OF ISSUE October 24, 2004
20. NYSTAM_151210_164.JPG: George Gershwin was one of America's greatest Broadway writers, orchestral composers, and popular songwriters. His satirical play Let Them Eat Cake was the first musical comedy to win a Pulitzer Prize. Porgy and Bess, Gershwin's greatest Broadway play, was widely regarded as America's first folk opera. GEORGE GERSHWIN American Arts Series MEDIUM board, gouache, acrylic, colored pencil ILLUSTRATOR Mark English (b. 1933) ART DIRECTOR Terry McCaffrey FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 28, 1973
21. NYSTAM_151210_176.JPG: Showboat was one of the first Broadway productions with a bi-racial cast. Written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II and based on Edna Ferber's bestselling novel of the same name, the show premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre on December 27, 1927 and ran for 77 weeks. SHOWBOAT Legends of American Music Series MEDIUM canvas, oil ILLUSTRATOR Wilson McLean (b. 1937) ART DIRECTOR Terry McCaffrey FIRST DAY OF ISSUE July 14, 1993
22. NYSTAM_151210_187.JPG: Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II won Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Awards, Academy Awards, Emmys and Grammys. Their timeless productions include Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Flower Drum Song, South Pacific, and The King and I. Their final collaborative play, The Sound of Music, won five Tony Awards. ROGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN Legends Of American Music Series MEDIUM board, gesso, acrylic, colored pencil ILLUSTRATOR Drew Struzan (b. 1947) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE September 21, 1999
23. NYSTAM_151210_195.JPG: Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, one of the greatest husband and wife acting teams on Broadway, performed together in more than 40 plays and became stars of stage, screen and radio. Inseparable on and off stage, they were married 55 years. ALFRED LUNT AND LYNN FONTANNE Performing Arts Series MEDIUM board, gesso, acrylic, color pencil ILLUSTRATOR Drew Struzan (b 1947) ART DIRECTOR Carl Hermann FIRST DAY OF ISSUE March 2, 1999
24. NYSTAM_151210_205.JPG: The UN Headquarters is an example of the International Style of architecture, characterized by rectilinear forms, glass and steel, flat roofs, and open interior spaces. Popular in Europe and the US in the 1920s and 1930s, this architectural style was well-suited for large urban projects. INTERNATIONAL STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, UN HEADQUARTERS Celebrate the Century: 1940s MEDIUM board, gesso, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Howard Koslow (b. 1924) ART DIRECTOR Carl Herrman FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 18, 1999
25. NYSTAM_151210_214.JPG: Theodore Roosevelt started his political career in the New York State Assembly and later became the Governor of New York State. Elected Vice President under William McKinley, Roosevelt became the 26th President after McKinley's assassination. He was the first President to serve entirely in the twentieth century. THEODORE ROOSEVELT Celebrate the Century: 1900s MEDIUMboard, gouache, acrylic, colored pencil ILLUSTRATOR Richard Waldrep (b. 1943) ART DIRECTOR Carl Herrman FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 3, 1998
26. NYSTAM_151210_222.JPG: A. Philip Randolph was a prominent labor leader and civil rights advocate who helped organize the famous 1963 March on Washington. Ahead of his time, Randolph become a labor leader when labor unions openly espoused anti-black policies and a national civil rights movement barely existed. A. PHILIP RANDOLPH Black Heritage Series MEDIUM paper, gouache, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Thomas Blackshear (b. 1955) ART DIRECTOR Jerry Pinkney FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 3, 1989
27. NYSTAM_151210_232.JPG: Frances Perkins served as Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, the longest-running appointee in that position and the first woman in a Presidential cabinet. Her early career began at the New York Consumers League, where she lobbied for better working hours and conditions. FRANCES PERKINS Commemorative stamp MEDIUM paper, graphite, ink ILLUSTRATOR Ferdinand Ralph Petrie (b. 1925) MODELER V. Jack Ruther FIRST DAY OF ISSUE April 10, 1980
28. NYSTAM_151210_238.JPG: Fiorello H. LaGuardia served three terms as mayor of New York City. He reorganized the powerful Tammany Hall political machine and balanced the city's budget. He focused on municipal beautification and civil construction projects like the airport that later was to bear his name. FIORELLO H. LAGUARDIA Commemorative stamp MEDIUM photograph, gouache, graphite ILLUSTRATOR Robert Geissmann (1909-1976) PHOTOGRAPHER George Fayer FIRST DAY OF ISSUE April 24, 1972
29. NYSTAM_151210_246.JPG: The Empire State Building is an iconic 102-story skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan. Opened in 1931, this building held the record as the tallest in the world for nearly 40 years until the topping of the World Trade Center's North Tower in 1970. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING Celebrate the Century: 1930s MEDIUM board, graphite ILLUSTRATOR Paul Calle (1928-2010) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE September 10, 1998
30. NYSTAM_151210_253.JPG: The Ellis Island Immigration Museum celebrates the nation's largest immigration inspection station, which operated from 1892 until 1954. Twelve million immigrants entered the US through the doors of Ellis Island, and their descendants account for nearly half of the country's population. ELLIS ISLAND IMMIGRATION MUSEUM Postal Stationery MEDIUM board, gesso, acrylic, graphite ILLUSTRATOR Howard Koslow (b. 1924) ART DIRECTOR Derry Noyes FIRST DAY OF ISSUE May 11, 1992
31. NYSTAM_151210_264.JPG: The Brooklyn Bridge was the first steel-wire suspension bridge and the first to use pneumatic chambers during construction. When it opened on May 24, 1883 after 14 years of construction, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. BROOKLYN BRIDGE Commemorative stamp MEDIUM board, gesso, acrylic ILLUSTRATOR Howard Koslow (b. 1924) ART DIRECTOR Howard Paine FIRST DAY OF ISSUE May 17, 1983
32. NYSTAM_151210_275.JPG: Grand Central Terminal, which opened in 1912, was recognized as the largest and grandest railway station in the world. Encompassing nearly 48 acres on two levels, the terminal was built when rail was the predominate mode of travel. Grand Central Terminal still serves both suburban and long-distance travelers. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL American Landmarks Issue MEDIUM digital (pencil sketch scanned) ILLUSTRATOR Dan Cosgrove (b. 1955) ART DIRECTOR Phil Jordan FIRST DAY OF ISSUE February 1, 2013
33. NYSTAM_151210_288.JPG: The Statue of Liberty, standing at the entrance to New York Harbor since its dedication in 1886, has welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States. "Lady Liberty" has the distinct honor of appearing on more US stamps than any other national monument. STATUE OF LIBERTY Definitive stamp MEDIUM paper, gouache ILLUSTRATOR Tom Engerman (b. 1966) ART DIRECTOR Carl Herrman FIRST DAY OF ISSUE June 24, 1994
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