Born in Paris in 1590, Simon Vouet was one of the most significant European artists. His works are divided into two main periods: Italian (1612 – 1627) and French (1627 – 1649). He painted Saint Catherine in Italy shortly before he returned to France. The Italian period of his works was strongly influenced by Carravagio, where his paintings already showed lyric and harmony in composition; these were later even more remarkable in his French period of brilliant painting. The painting Saint Catherine, pictured on the stamp of this issue, is one of the great valuable works in the European art collection...