Stamp Overview
- Issue Date: May 15, 1936
- Occasion: 300 years (tercentenary) of Utrecht University’s founding in 1636
- Design & Imagery:
- 6 c (red/dark carmine): Features Pallas Athene, the Roman goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare
- 12½ c (blue/dark blue): Depicts Gisbertus (Gijsbert) Voetius (1588–1676), a distinguished theologian and professor at Utrecht University
- Shape & Format: Triangular stamps, each sized approximately 50 × 33 mm, perforation line 12½, printed in photogravure by Joh. Enschedé & Zonen, designed by Pyke (Pijke) Koch
- Print Run:
- 6 c (Pallas Athene): ~12,904,000 stamps
- 12½ c (Voetius): ~1,831,000 stamps
- Catalog Listings:
- Michel: 295 (6 c), 296 (12½ c)
- Scott: 204, 205
- Yvert et Tellier: 286, 287
- Stanley Gibbons: 460, 461
- NVPH (Dutch catalog): 287, 288
Context & Symbolism
The triangular design and the use of Pallas Athene emphasize the university’s commitment to wisdom and learning—rooted in classical symbolism rather than architectural representation. Gisbertus Voetius further personalizes the commemoration by highlighting an influential figure in the institution’s early academic history.
