USPS Henry James (Sheet of 20) Three Ounce (3 oz) Literary Arts 31st in a Series, British Writer, First-Class Mail Forever Postage Stamps Scott #5105

The U.S. Postal Service honors Henry James (1843–1916), a towering figure in American literature, with a non-denominated three-ounce-rate stamp. The stamp is the 31st entry in the Literary Arts stamp series. In novels and stories that often explored the complex interplay between Americans and Europeans, James sought to portray the intricacies of society and the inner lives of his characters with exquisite realism, an intellectual and artistic achievement that earned him a reputation as one of the greatest writers the United States has ever produced. The stamp features an original painting by artist Kate Sammons of Los Angeles under the art direction of Antonio Alcalá of Alexandria, VA. On the left is a portrait of James based on a 1906 photograph by Alvin Langdon Coburn. It shows the author in profile looking to the right, his left hand on his chin in a gesture of contemplation. On the right side, behind James, is a vignette showing a man and a woman in a small boat. This vignette is an artistic interpretation of the climactic scene from The Ambassadors, James's 1903 novel in which a middle-aged American is sent by his wealthy fiancée to Europe, presumably to rescue her son from a woman she believes must be bad for him – the two people represented in the boat. James was born in New York City, and resided in a number of different places in Europe. James's literary output was prodigious: 20 complete novels, more than 100 shorter pieces of fiction, several plays and hundreds of shorter works and articles, including travel observations, literary criticism and theater reviews. Two of his most well-known stories include Daisy Miller and The Turn of the Screw. Other works: The American, The Portrait of a Lady, The Bostonians, The Wings of the Dove and The Art of Fiction. The words "THREE OUNCE" indicate its usage value. Like a Forever Stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it (91 cents as of April 2017).

• Sheet of 20 USPS Stamps
• Three Ounce rate (91 cents per stamp as of April 2017)
• First class stamps valid for any USPS mailing