Joe Louis

painting of Joe Louis

Artist: Thomas Blackshear II
Art director: Terrence W. McCaffrey
First day of issue: June 22, 1993

Watercolor on Bristol board

For this first U.S. stamp to honor a professional boxer, Thomas Blackshear painted an engaging portrait that was later rendered into finely engraved lines. The final stamp also included bold lettering, which evoked the style of vintage boxing posters.

Art of the Stamp

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