2004-02, Taohuawu Woodprint New Year Pictures《桃花坞木版年画》

Stamp Title: Taohuawu Woodprint New Year Pictures
Scott No: 3339-42
Serial number: 2004-2
Values in set: 4
(4-1), Feelings of Pipa, 80 fen, 30*40 mm
(4-2), Kylin Bringing a Son, 80 fen, 30*40 mm
(4-3), Liu Hai Playing with the Golden Toad, 80 fen, 30*40 mm
(4-4), Beauties Playing Football, 200 fen, 30*40 mm
Denomination: 4.40 yuan
Selling Price of miniature sheet: 6 yuan
Date of issue: 14th January 2004
Designer: Wang Huming
Size of stamps: 30*40 mm
Perforation: 12
Sheet composition: 20 for Sheet I; 8 for Sheet II
Size of M/S: 150*90 mm
Printing process: Offset
Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House

The Taohuawu Woodprint New Year Picture first appeared in the late Ming Dynasty and became popular during the reign of emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. It is one of the most widespread folk New Year picture school in southern China, featuring woodcut process printing and coloring. In its early stage, the pictures of ladies, landscapes and flowers usually adopted the traditional composition and were of a graceful style. Pictures of the style of copperplate engraving emerged in the middle period of the Qing Dynasty under European influence. Later on the subject matters tented to be close to people’s daily life and work. Most of the pictures express wishes for good fortune, or show opera stories, current events and customs, which the folks are fond of. The pictures are decorative, and popular for their techniques of exaggeration, vivid and bright colors, rich and lively contents.

2004年特种邮票《桃花坞木版年画》
国家邮政局2004年1月14日发行《桃花坞木版年画》特种邮票1套4枚，小全张1枚。
（4-1）T 琵琶有情 80分 1200万枚
（4-2）T 麒麟送子 80分 1200万枚
（4-3）T 刘海戏金蟾 80分 1200万枚
（4-4）T 十美踢球图 2元 1150万枚
志号：2004-2
版别：胶印
邮票规格：30×40mm
齿孔度数：12度
整张枚数：版式一20(4×5)、 版式二8枚（2套邮票）
外形规格：版式一150×240mm、版式二120×210mm
小全张规格：150×90mm
小全张发行量：1050万枚
设计者：王虎鸣
印制厂：北京邮票厂

注：2004年中国邮政贺年（有奖）明信片于2004年2月6日公布中奖号码，兑奖日期为2004年3月1日至5月1日。版式二为三等奖，不出售。

苏州的桃花坞木版年画和天津杨柳青、河南朱仙镇、山东杨家埠、四川绵竹木版年画，并称为我国五大民间木版年画。其始于明末，因最早的作坊在苏州桃花坞街上而得名。到了清代，艺术形式已趋成熟，并形成了自己独特的风格形式，雍正、乾隆年间，盛极一时，与杨柳青年画并称“南桃北柳”。

桃花坞木版刻年画的色调不拘于真实，多用大红、大绿、桃红、宝石蓝、柠黄等夸张颜色，对渲染烘托过年气氛作用极大。