DDR year 1957 stamps Art / Paintings Dresden Art Collections MNH

DDR year 1957 stamps Art / Paintings Dresden Art Collections MNH full set In 1957, the German Democratic Republic (DDR) issued a significant series of postage stamps titled “Von der Sowjetunion zurückgeführte Gemälde der Dresdner Gemäldegalerie” (Paintings of the Dresden Gallery returned by the Soviet Union). This was the second set in a multi-year series celebrating the return of masterpieces that had been taken to the USSR for safekeeping (or as trophy art) following World War II. The 1957 Stamp Series (Michel #586–591) The set consists of six stamps, each depicting a world-famous work from the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Picture Gallery) in Dresden. ValuePainting TitleArtist5 PfThe Holy Family with Elizabeth and the Infant JohnAndrea Mantegna10 PfThe Tribute Money (Der Zinsgroschen)Titian15 PfPortrait of Charles de Solier, Sieur de MoretteHans Holbein the Younger20 PfSaskia with a Red FlowerRembrandt van Rijn25 PfThe Girl with the Casket (Mademoiselle Lavergne)Jean-Étienne Liotard40 PfThe Standard BearerGiovanni Battista Piazzetta Key Details for Collectors Issue Date: June 26, 1957. Catalog Numbers: Michel: 586–591 | Scott: 355–360. Significance: These stamps are highly regarded by philatelists for their high-quality photogravure printing, which captured the fine details of the original oil paintings. Context: The DDR used these issues both to promote their cultural heritage and to highlight the “friendship” with the Soviet Union through the return of the art.