Jean De Bast

Who was Jean De Bast?

Jean De Bast is a Belgian postage stamps draughtsman and engraver.

After a very complete artistic training, he joined in 1907 the National Postage Stamps Printing-house in Mechelen. Going up step by step in the hierarchy, he finished there his career in 1945, as a senior foreman.

His first works in philately are, in 1919, the drawing of the famous series “Helmeted King” and, in 1922, the engraving of King Albert I’s effigy.

In 1926, the Belgian sovereigns realized the artist’s value, following the issue of a stamp for the benefit of the fight against tuberculosis. In accordance with the wish of the King, a competition was organized between four Prix de Rome and De Bast, who was the winner. From that time onwards, the direction of the Postal Services stopped to appeal to foreign artists, and De Bast became its appointed engraver.

While keeping his office at the Postage Stamps Printing-house, De Bast worked then as a free engraver, realizing works of very high quality.

In 1952, he had a disagreement with the direction of the Postal Services, which had retouched without his agreement the original matrix of a stamp bearing the effigy of King Baudouin. The stamp so issued was so mediocre that it received a bad appreciation from the press and was rapidly withdrawn from sale.