The U.S. IGY stamp is rather dramatic. Just exactly what does it depict (interview question #3)?

 On to question #3 for my interview:

The U.S. IGY stamp is rather dramatic. Just exactly what does it depict?

Let's look at the stamp again (in quadruple, as a plate block):

Scott 1107 plate block from my collection

Drawing on a previous post, there are two main elements in the stamp image: the outreached hands and the solar surface.

The nearly touching hands are excerpted from The Creation of Adam, a fresco painted ca. 1510 by Michelangelo as part of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican. It illustrates the biblical creation narrative from the Book of Genesis in which God breathes life into Adam.

The postcard from my collection shown below contains an image of The Creation of Adam. The IGY stamp on the card has the cancellation date and place for the FDOI of the stamp, but does not bear the First Day of Issue slogan. 

Postcard FDOI front, with Michelangelo's Creation of Adam, US 182 in my collection

As for the image of the solar surface and solar prominences in the stamp, among the fourteen scientific areas of study for the IGY, #6 was the study of solar activity. The Postal Bulletin dated April 24, 1958, volume 79, issue 20080, states that:

The design of the stamp is based on a photograph of the sun and depicts an area of intense solar activity such as occurs periodically and is among the phenomena being studied during the 18-month long period of the International Geophysical Year.

Ervine Metzl, the designer of the stamp, explained that 'In the small confines of a postage stamp we have endeavored to picture a man's wonder at the unknown together with his determination to understand it and his need for spiritual inspiration to further his knowledge.'

I noted several aspects of Scott 1107 in this post. The orange solar prominences add a nice touch of color. This was the fifth [correction to the original post] U.S. stamp (after Scott 1042 Statue of Liberty, 1094 Old Glory, 1096 Magsaysay, and 1098 whooping cranes) printed using the engravure/intaglio method by the Giori Press, which allowed for simultaneous application of two or three differently colored inks. It was also one of the last three U.S. stamps issued with a 3¢ denomination. The rate for first-class postage had been unchanged since 1932, but went to 4¢ on August 1, 1958. This 26-year period was the longest in U.S. postal history with no rate change.

These days, much attention is given to the integrated teaching of STEM fields - science, technology, engineering, and math. This can be taken a step further to integrate pedagogies and understandings from the humanities/arts, as indicated by the acronym STEAM. Scott 1107 anticipated the STEAM spirit by incorporating imagery derived from both the arts and the sciences to suggest the importance and awesomeness of studying the natural world.

One thing I like about the U.S. stamp design is that it does not focus on national chest thumping. Some other countries' IGY stamps used Antarctic maps to pictorialize their territorial claims, to note historical scientific accomplishments related to the themes of the IGY, or to honor IGY missions carried out by particular countries. The U.S. IGY stamp instead celebrates the general theme of science and the acquisition of knowledge during that period of large-scale international scientific cooperation.