Scott No: 2241
Serial number: T142
Values in set: 1
Date of issue: October 15, 1989
Denomination: 8 fen
Designers: Chen Donglin
Size of stamps: 40*27mm
Perforation: 11
Sheet composition: 56(7*8)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T142 "150th Anniversary of the Birth of Photography" special stamp was issued on October 15, 1989. The set consists of 1 stamp, printed by photogravure, with a stamp size of 40 × 27 mm, perforation gauge 11, and 56 stamps per sheet (7 × 8). Designed by Chen Dongling and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory.

Theme of the Set

In 1839, the Daguerreotype process was officially announced and is widely recognized as the year photography was born; 1989 marked its 150th anniversary. Photography is a modern imaging technology combining optics and chemistry; it both records reality and has developed into an independent art category. This stamp commemorates the 150th anniversary of the birth of photography, expressing the unique value of photography in recording the times and capturing beauty, and reflecting the popularization and development of photographic art in China.

Stamp Design and Historical Background

150 Years of Photography

The main subject of the design is an Oriental girl holding in both hands the international emblem specially created for the 150th anniversary of the birth of photography. The emblem is abstracted into the shape of a camera, and the girl reveals one eye, implying observation of the world through the lens; the background consists of brilliantly blooming flowers in resplendent colors. This camera emblem was an internationally used symbol designed specifically for this commemorative event, integrating the shape of a camera lens with the numeral 150 and making clear the theme of the 150th anniversary.

Artistic Design Features

The design adopts a modern decorative painting style, combining a realistic portrait with an abstract emblem and decorative flowers. The colors are bright and vivid, the floral background sets off the beauty of art, and the concise camera symbol directly points to the theme. The composition is novel, combining a sense of the times with artistic quality, and it is a representative of 1980s stamps on scientific, technological, and cultural themes.