LX1086. Christmas, 1981

Hugo Van der Goes (ca. 1440-1482). Born in Goes-The Netherlands,

In 1477-8 the renowned Flemish painter Hugo van der Goes retreated from the world to become a lay brother in the Red Cloister near Brussels, a move that art historians have almost uniformly interpreted as a sign of his melancholy, depressed temperament. Instead of vanishing into the monastery, however, Van der Goes continued, as a lay brother, to paint extraordinary pictures. One night 1480 or 1481, while returning from a trip to Cologne he "was seized by an amazing disease of the phantasy, in which he unceasingly said that he was doomed and condemned to eternal damnation. He even wanted to injure himself physically or commit suicide and he had to be forcibly restrained by those around him."

Date of issue: 21 December 1981

Design: after Hugo Van der Goes (ca. 1440-1482)

Engraving: Jean de Vos

Printing & editor: Rodan, Brussels

Size engraving: 35 x 35 mm.

Circulation: limited edition between 400 and 700*

* These etching where printed on a double folded mould-made paper sheet, on the inside the Christmas wishes were written or printed (see underneath an example). Some people kept the left side of this card, which made the “luxury sheet”; it goes without saying that the majority many were lost or damaged in the mail.

LX1086. Imperforated luxury sheet, violet. 200F

Etching on mould-made paper

This is the first year that a text was printed on the back:

There are no variations or curiosities known for none of the above shown material.