File:BEL 1963 MiNr1333 mt B002a.jpg

Stamp of Belgium; 1963; commemorative surcharge stamp of the issue "The struggle against Tuberculosis": stamp motive with the drawing by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) of his son Nicolaas Rubens (1618-1655). The chalk drawing was created in 1619 (other source 1621) in the style of the Flemish baroque and is actual located in the "Rubenshuis" in Antwerp (Belgium).; mint stamp
Note:
The depicted patriarchal cross is not only the symbol (among others) for the "France Libre" during the WWII or for the Republic of Elsass-Lothringia after the WWI, but on this stamp shall it commemorates the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963 to the International Committee of the Red Cross (IKRK) together with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (after these both was awarded with this prize already in 1901, 1917, and 1944) for their struggle against Tuberculosis. The patriarchal cross goes back probably to the Byzantine Empire, where it was widespread already in the 10th century as symbol for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Later, probably with the struggle against the European Pest pandemy in 1347-1351, it got the symbol of the Dominican order (which were very engaged in the care of the invalids). Later also the Jesuits took over the double cross as their symbol and later away it got also to a general symbol for the catholic archiepiscopal metropolitan power as such. After the fundation of the Red Cross in 1863 and the definition of their aims, the double cross got also to the symbol of the struggle against natural catastrophes and diseases in general, after the WWI mainly for the struggle against tuberculosis and other lung diseases of bacterial and virulent origins. (for instance the "Spanish Influenza").
Note 2:
Nicolaas Rubens (1618-1655) was the youngest son of Peter Paul Rubens and Isabella Brant. On the drawing, the boy carries a coral necklace, a then widespread symbol for the protection of the wearing child.

Peter Paul Rubens  (1577–1640)
	Alternative names	Rubens, Pierre Paul Rubens, Pieter Paul Rubens, Sir Peter Paul Rubens
	Description	Flemish painter, sculptor, drawer and printmaker
	Date of birth/death	28 June 1577	30 May 1640
	Location of birth/death	Siegen	Antwerp
	Work period	16th century date QS:P,+1550-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
	Work location	Antwerp (1589-1600), Mantua (9 May 1600-1608), Spain (1603), Antwerp (1608-1640), Netherlands (1612), Paris (23 May 1623-29 June 1623, 4 February 1625-9 June 1625), Calais (November 1626), Paris (December 1626), City of Brussels (1627), Netherlands (10 July 1627-6 August 1627), Spain (26 August 1628-29 April 1629), London (18 May 1629-23 March 1630), City of Brussels (1631), Netherlands (November 1631), Affligem (September 1634)
	Authority file	: Q5599 VIAF: 56647196 ISNI: 0000000121341267 ULAN: 500002921 LCCN: n79055561 NLA: 36442606 WorldCat

Rubenshuis     (Inventory)
	Native name	Rubenshuis
	Location	Antwerp
	Coordinates	51° 13′ 02″ N, 4° 24′ 34″ E
	Established	1946
	Website	www.rubenshuis.be
	Authority file	: Q775644 VIAF: 153357050 ISNI: 0000000119425402 ULAN: 500279145 LCCN: n50051112 NLA: 36091690 WorldCat

Stamp: Michel: No. 1333; Yvert & Tellier: No. 1273; Scott: B748; AFA: No. 1353
Color: multicolored
Nominal value: 1.40 (Francs) (1.00 Francs + 40 Centimes = 40 Centimes as surcharge for the struggle against Tuberculosis of the DKRK and IFRKRC)
Postage validity: from 7 December 1963 until ?