Miniature Sheet Yousuf Karsh – Canada 2008

Yousuf Karsh (23 Dec 1908 -13 Jul 2002) was an Armenian- Canadian photographer known for his portraits of notable individuals. He has been described as one of the greatest portrait photographers of the 20th Century.

Canada Post issued a set of three Stamps and a miniature sheet to celebrate his life and photography on his birth centenary year 2008. The stamps were issued on 21 May 2008. These three stamps were part of the Art Canada Series. The Karsh Portraits have been reproduced from photographs in the collection of Library and Archives Canada.

52 c -Domestic rate – Self Portrait of Yousuf Karsh – A self Portrait of Karsh at work was chosen for domestic rate stamp so that sight of the artist behind the camera lens is not lost.

96 c – USA rate – Audrey Hepburn – Karsh’s tranquil portrait of Film actress Audrey Hepburn was chosen. The stamp designer says “Her peaceful and serene expression makes an excellent contrast to Mr Churchill”.

$1.60 – International Rate – Sir Winston Churchill – This 1941 Photograph of Churchill made Karsh famous. Churchill visited Ottawa to address the House of Commons and Karsh was asked to photograph him. Taken by surprise Churchill was not inclined to co-operate-he refused to pose without his customary lit cigar. Karsh politely removed it and captured the resulting expression on film. This photo appeared on the cover of Life magazine as an embodiment of British wartime resolve.

Winston Churchill by Yousuf Karsh appears on new polymer British Five Pound Currency Note.

A Large sampling of his portraits appears in miniature on the souvenir sheet and in the centre strip of stamp pane. Aligned like photos on the negative strip, this panorama of famous faces includes Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Ernest Hemingway, Sophia Loren, Walt Disney, Indira Gandhi among many others. Print Quantity of Souvenir Sheet 325,000.