The design of this Christmas stamp was taken from a work by Jan van Eyck, who was raised in Belgium under the protection of the Benedictine convent. After the court of Philip of Charolais was dissolved, van Eyck was hired by John of Bavaria, in residence at the Hague as Count of Holland. He worked for John of Bavaria until 1424, when he returned to the employ of Philip. Additional work was performed for Philip the Good, for whom he went on missions to Lisbon to seek favors from Isabella of Portugal. In the Spanish provinces, he studied landscape painting. Van Eyck is known for his altarpieces and portraits. The Annunciation forms the outer panel of the altarpiece at Ghent, which he painted in 1432.