Duke Kahanamoku

painting of Duke Kahanamoku

Artist: Michael J. Deas
Art director: Carl T. Herrman
First day of issue: August 24, 2002

Oil on board

Details in stamp art are often intended to convey information strictly through visual cues. In this painting, the glimpse of Diamond Head in the background acknowledges the subject as uniquely Hawaiian. Kahanamoku’s clothing identifies him as a champion swimmer, and the surfers suggest his role in popularizing an ancient Polynesian sport.

Art of the Stamp