Robert Lavack and the Norval Morrisseau Postage Stamp

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~ This post was originally published on November 10th, 2011
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© 1973 Norval Morrisseau/© 1990 Canada Post Corporation

~ Designed by Clermont Malenfant; Edition run of 72,500,000 stamps: Date of Issue: October 25, 1990; Printer: Ashton-Potter Limited; Publisher: Canada Post Corporation


"One of the many honours bestowed upon Norval Morrisseau was the request to design the annual Christmas stamp for 1990. Originally painted in 1973, the image depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child and St. John the Baptist. This panting is from collection of the Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Hull, Quebec. Day of issue was October 25th, 1990."

The above text was originally posted on this blog on November 15th, 2007 (click HERE). The truth about what had really transpired prior to the stamp being issued by Canada Post Corporation was posted by Angie Littlefield on her www.angielittlefield.com in article titled: 

Robert Lavack and the Norval Morrisseau Postage Stamp

"Robert Lavack started agitating for Norval to be considered to design a Native Canadian postage stamp in 1970. He contacted Keith Penner, then Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay, F.G. Flatters, the Chief of the Postage Stamp Division of the Post Office Department, Mr. Gorden Aiken M.P. for Parry Sound/Muskoka, Leo Bernier, Minister of Mines and Northern Affairs and even his old pal, Dr Walter Kenyon, then Associate Curator, Office of the Chief Archeologist of the Royal Ontario Museum. In an April 13, 1971 letter to Mr Flatters which Dr Kenyon wrote at Robert's suggestion, he wrote of Norval,

"Through his art, he has become almost a legendary spokesman, not only for his own Ojibway people, but for the Native Candians generally, and in the art galleries of the world he is respected as an outstanding Canadian. These, surely, are impressive credentials."

The letter exchange about the issue continued until just before Mr. Lavack left to work on the smallpox eradication program conducted by the World Health Organization in Africa."

Angie Littlefield





>>> Reference posts:
- 1990 Christmas Stamp Design,
- THE MORRISSEAU PAPERS (Part I),
- IN MEMORIAM: NORVAL MORRISSEAU
-/Ref. "Virgin Mary with Christ Child and St. John the Baptist"/,
- THE MORRISSEAU PAPERS (Part II);
- Friends of Norval Morrisseau (Part III) /Ref. Robert Lavack/,
- Mr. Robert Lavack's Open Letter to Spirit Walker...,
- Correspondence between Norval Morrisseau and Mr. Robert Lavack (Part I);
- Others about NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG (Part II) &
- NO! NO! MORRISSEAU - Review of 'Christmas Letter to Norval Morrisseau' by Mr. Robert Lavack.

* The painting appearing on Canada Post Corporation stamp: "Virgin Mary with Christ Child and St. John the Baptist", 40"x32", © 1973 Norval Morrisseau /Collection of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, Indian Art Centre/