France – Scott # B283

Description

This France semi-postal stamp, Scott #B283, issued in 1953, features Le Retour du Baptême (“The Return from the Baptism”), a well-known genre painting depicting maternal care and everyday domestic life. The issue was produced in support of the French Red Cross, combining fine art with charitable purpose.

The design shows a mother holding her child after a baptism, rendered in soft, expressive engraved line work. The intimate composition emphasizes tenderness, protection, and family bonds, with careful attention to facial expression, gesture, and drapery. The restrained palette and balanced framing give the image a quiet dignity appropriate to both its artistic source and humanitarian intent.

A red cross emblem appears prominently on the stamp, clearly identifying its charitable association. Inscriptions display both the postal value and the surtax, with the additional charge designated to benefit Red Cross relief efforts. The overall presentation reflects mid-twentieth-century French engraving standards, combining clarity with emotional resonance.

Issued with a 15 centime postal value plus a 5 centime surtax, the stamp was intended for regular postal use while supporting humanitarian work. This example is offered in mint never hinged (MNH) condition, with full original gum intact. MNH copies are especially desirable to collectors of French semi-postals, Red Cross issues, and art-themed commemoratives.

Scott Catalog Number: B283
Denomination: 15c + 5c surtax
Year of Issue: 1953
Condition: Mint Never Hinged (MNH)
Country: France