The Art of Magic stamps feature digital illustrations that depict “five classic tricks magicians use to amaze and delight audiences,” according to the Postal Service.
The stamp subjects are
a rabbit in a hat (representing production),
a fortune teller with a crystal ball (prediction),
a woman floating in the air with a hoop around her (levitation),
an empty bird cage (vanishing), and
a bird emerging from a flower (transformation).
Each illustration is set against a simple one- or two-color background, with “The Art of Magic” lettered in dropout white below the artwork.
“Forever USA” appears in smaller letters at the bottom of each stamp.
The stamps were designed by USPS art director Greg Breeding with illustrations and typography by Jay Fletcher of J Fletcher Design.
“Magic has long held a special place in the nation’s history,” according to the US Postal Service. “American magicians perform in arenas, theaters and even backyards. No matter how big or small, a magic show will always inspire wonder.”
Magic today is primarily viewed as a form of entertainment, though its practitioners throughout history have sometimes been shunned and denounced for their abilities.
The stage magic celebrated on these new stamps has developed in the hands of well-known magicians who have astounded audiences for many years.
Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin in France and Scotsman John Henry Anderson were two of the more successful early magicians who practiced their craft before paying audiences in the 19th century.
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