Evening star., 1940-03-24

Medici, that Botticelli executed the
"Primavera" about 1477 or 1478.
Now one of the richest treasures
of the Ufiizi Gallery in Florence, the
picture is alleged to have been in
spired by the "Giostra," a poem by
Poliziano. 1t is symbolic and alle-
gorical, relating the welcome OF
spring by Venus and Cupid. Once
seen. the composition never can be
forgotten. 1t probably takes rank
among the first 10 works of Renais-
sance art now extant.
BY 1481 the painters celebrity had
reached to Rome, whittier he was
summoned to help in the decoration
of the chapel of Pope Sixtus Nv in
the Vatican. BotticeIi, however,
soon returned to Florence, where
from 1882 to 1892 he labored over
long series Of religious and mytho-
logical subjects and executed num-
ber of portraits, including one COM
monty regarded as representation
of himself, now in the National Gal
lery in London. His Birth of Venus"
and Mars and Venus" are master
works popular with both professional
critics and the lay public.
Apparently Botticelli continued to
produce canvases until his death In
May, 1910. Four OF his best efforts
are owned by the A. w. Mellon Char
liable and Educational Trust and
will be on permanent exhibition in
the National Gallery, now nearing
completion. They are: Alteration"
from the Hermitage Gallery; MA
donna and Child" and two portraits.
The Post Office Department Press
Bureau released on Tuesday the
models for the scientists series of
the Heroes of Peace" stamps and
they were reproduced in The Star
the same day.
Ernest A. Kehr, stamp editor Of
the New Work Herald Tribune, will
arrive in Washington this evening
for a stay of several days. He is
to be at the Capitol Park Hotel dur
ing his visit.
Having neglected philately during
1899, the New York Worlds Fair
now announces-in releases mailed
in envelopes with postal meter
franking-that "one of the new
features" for the second season will
be IAN international stamp exhi-
bition" including postal issues Of the
British Empire and the United
States.
THE exhibits" it is explained,
"will be housed in the British
Pavilion, where 10000 square feet of
space, formerly occupied by an art
gallery, have been set aside for this
purpose.
"In a way the show at the fair
will take the place Of the British
Centennial Exhibition, which WAS to
have been held in London, beginning
May 6.
'The official opening of the fair
exhibit will be on May IL, and it
will continue through six months"
Negotiations, it is added, "are al
ready under way" for obtaining
parts of the collections of President
Roosevelt and King George vi for
display.
Though the release claims for the
exhibition the support of many
private collectors prominent in the
stamp world" the only name men
toned in addition to those OF the
American Chief Executive and the
British sovereign is that of Grover
A. Whalen-hitherto unknown in
philateic circles. ....
Airmail service between Aubu-
querque, N. Mex, and FL Paso, Tex,
by way of Roswell and Hobbs,
N. Mex, soon will be inaugurated.
1t is understood that there will be
cachets for the last. two towns
named. Those interested should
write to First Assistant Postmaster
General w. w. Howes for details.
The late minister of war, Andre
Maginot, who built the famous
Maginot Line, will be portrayed on
q stamp of France soon to be issued.
American Conference stamps
have been issued as follows: 1906, Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil, 2; 1910. Buenos
Aires, Argentine, 4; 1923, Santiago,