The American Scene

illustration of Mount McKinley

Landscape painters traditionally work on immense canvases, overwhelming the eye with the majesty of American vistas or the focused charm of picturesque landmarks.

Stamp artists enjoy no such luxury. Instead, their creative challenge is to depict American grandeur on a miniscule scale. For the artists who succeed at this task, the stamps that feature their work—smaller than paintings, tinier than postcards—enjoy one of the largest audiences possible. Throughout the United States and around the world, millions of people see these stamps and know without question that they are enjoying a careful depiction of a distinctly American scene.


American Architecture: Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright


American Architecture: Smithsonian Institution by James Renwick, Jr.


Lighthouses: Sandy Hook, New Jersey


Lighthouses: West Quoddy Head, Maine


National Parks Centennial: Mount McKinley, Alaska


Rural America: Chautauqua Tent and Buggies


Rural America: Wheat Fields and Train

Art of the Stamp