Scott No: 1996-1997
Serial number: J114
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: July 19, 1985
Denomination: 28 fen
Designers: Li Wei
Size of stamps:
30*40mm for Value 1;
40*30mm for Value 2
Perforation: 11.5*11 for Value 1;11*11.5 for Value 2
Sheet composition:
50 (10*5) for Value 1;
50 (5*10) for Value 2
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

J114 "90th Anniversary of the Birth of Xu Beihong" commemorative stamps were issued on July 19, 1985. The set consists of 2 stamps, printed by photogravure, designed by Li Wei, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory.

Theme of the Set

Xu Beihong was an outstanding modern and contemporary Chinese painter and art educator. He was skilled in Chinese painting and oil painting, and especially excelled at painting horses. He integrated Western realistic painting techniques into traditional Chinese painting, renewing the face of Chinese painting, and at the same time devoted himself to art education, cultivating a large number of art talents. This set commemorates the 90th anniversary of Xu Beihong's birth, selecting his self-portrait and a scene of him at work to showcase his artistic bearing and honor his enormous contributions to the development of Chinese art.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Xu Beihong's Self-Portrait

The image is a portrait of Xu Beihong, with a calm and resolute expression. Throughout his life Xu Beihong kept the homeland in his heart and entrusted his national sentiments to his brush, advocating that art should serve the times, combining the integrity of an artist with a sense of national responsibility.

Xu Beihong Painting

The image depicts Xu Beihong sitting in a rattan chair holding a brush and creating, with sketch drafts beside him and a galloping horse added in the upper right corner. The galloping horse is his most representative artistic symbol; through the horse's high-spirited, striving posture, it expresses the national spirit of unremitting self-improvement and vigorous effort.

Artistic Design Features

The set adopts the expressive form of realistic sketching, with plain and steady tones. One stamp captures the figure's appearance, the other restores the creative scene; the two echo each other, integrating the painter's image, his creative state, and a classic artistic symbol into one. The narrative quality is strong, and the tone is dignified and restrained. It is a fine work among commemorative stamps on figures and art.