Art

John Singleton Copley was born on July 3, 1738, in Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay. Copley was one of Colonial America’s most successful artists and went on to have a thriving career in Europe.

Stamp and poster artist Louis James Nolan Jr. was born on June 28, 1926, in Washington, DC.  During his long career, he designed several military recruiting posters and over a dozen US stamps.

One of America’s first modern artists, Stuart Davis died on June 24, 1964.  Davis earned national acclaim for his proto-pop paintings that were inspired by jazz and his strong political beliefs.

Legendary illustrator Albert Hirschfeld was born on June 21, 1903, in St. Louis, Missouri.  Hirschfeld’s work was so iconic, the USPS broke their own rules to feature his illustrations on two sets of stamps…

Noted artist and illustrator James Montgomery Flagg was born on June 18, 1877, in Pelham Manor, New York.  He painted dozens of memorable posters, book covers, magazine covers, and more, with the most notable being his interpretation of Uncle Sam.

Frederic Edwin Church was born on May 4, 1826, in Hartford, Connecticut. Known for his large, dramatic landscapes, he is one of the most traveled, best known, and most successful of the Hudson River School artists.

On April 24, 1800, President John Adams officially established the Library of Congress.  It’s America’s oldest federal cultural institution, and one of the largest libraries in the world, with more than 171 million items.

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael, is believed to have been born on either March 28 or April 6, 1483, in Urbino, Duchy of Urbino.  Raphael produced a large number of paintings during his short life and is considered one of the great masters of his time.

Award-winning graphic designer J. Bradbury Thompson was born on March 25, 1911, in Topeka, Kansas. Thompson designed more than 100 US postage stamps and influenced countless others, making him one of the most prolific US stamp designers in history.