Andrew Wyeth Forever Stamp Released by United States Postal Service

Andrew Wyeth, one of the most prominent artists of the 20th-century — whose realistic style defied artistic trends — was commemorated today on his birth centennial with the issuance of 12 Forever stamps highlighting his paintings.  

The Andrew Wyeth Forever stamps were dedicated in his home town of Chadds Ford, PA. Mastering a realistic style, Wyeth (July 12, 1917 – Jan. 16, 2009) created haunting and enigmatic paintings based largely on people and places in his life, a body of work that continues to resist easy or comfortable interpretation.

“The Postal Service takes tremendous pride in its stamp program, which celebrates the very best of American life, history and culture,” said Patrick Mendonca, U.S. Postal Service Senior Director, Office of the Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer, who dedicated the stamps. “And since today is the centennial of Andrew Wyeth’s birth, it’s the perfect occasion to celebrate the man whose masterful works have found a place in our homes — and in our hearts. Wyeth’s work resonated with millions of art enthusiasts around the globe.  Now, these miniature works of art can touch many.”

“My father, a prolific letter writer, would indeed be proud that a selection of his paintings now appears on U.S. postage stamps,” said Jamie Wyeth. “He would have relished using them!”

“In a year filled with celebrations marking the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art’s 50th anniversary, we are honored to help the United States Postal Service commemorate Andrew Wyeth’s remarkable career with a set of 12 Forever stamps on what would have been his 100th birthday,” said Logan.

Finding endless inspiration both in his hometown of Chadds Ford, PA, and in rural Maine, he scrutinized the lives, houses, and personal belongings of the people around him, sometimes painting their portraits but just as often using objects and places to represent them. Conveying emotions that were difficult to put into words, Wyeth’s work stood out for its startling austerity and stark lack of color — the artist’s way of reflecting memories, associations, and echoes from his life, including his own distinctive sense of the wondrous and the strange.

Finding endless inspiration both in his hometown of Chadds Ford, PA, and in rural Maine, he scrutinized the lives, houses, and personal belongings of the people around him, sometimes painting their portraits but just as often using objects and places to represent them. Conveying emotions that were difficult to put into words, Wyeth’s work stood out for its startling austerity and stark lack of color — the artist’s way of reflecting memories, associations, and echoes from his life, including his own distinctive sense of the wondrous and the strange.

In 2017, the centennial of Wyeth’s birth offers an occasion to look anew at a lifetime of remarkable art. With its subtle symbolism and eerie implications, his work invites us to reinterpret his personal vision — and to learn to see layers unnoticed before.