Three stages in the life of Jean Sibelius.
In September, a miniature sheet of three stamps will commemorate Finland’s best-known composer, Jean Sibelius (1865–1957).
The Jean Sibelius 150 years sheet is designed by graphic artist Pekka Loiri, a self-confessed classical music lover and Sibelius enthusiast. Loiri’s stamp designs are inspired by three different stages in Jean Sibelius’ life, each illustrated using different artistic techniques. Loiri has created a black-and-white inked-in drawing depicting Sibelius in the late 1800s as a passionate young artist living the bohemian life. A richly colored watercolor profile shows Sibelius as a symphonist in the early 1900s during the most prolific period of his career. A lithographic chalk drawing depicts Sibelius in the 1930s as an aging composer, matching the mental image that most Finns have of Sibelius.