About This Stamp
This 2004 stamp honored inventor, architect, engineer, designer, geometrician, cartographer, and philosopher R. Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) on the 50th anniversary of his patent for the geodesic dome, his most famous invention. Hailed as "one of the greatest minds of our times," Fuller was renowned for his comprehensive perspective on the world’s problems. For more than five decades, he developed pioneering solutions that reflected his commitment to the potential of innovative design to create technology that does "more with less" and thereby improves human lives.
The stamp artwork is a painting of Fuller by Boris Artzybasheff (1899–1965). The painting, which originally appeared on the cover of Time magazine on January 10, 1964, depicts Fuller's head in the pattern of a geodesic dome. Fuller is surrounded by geodesic domes and a number of his other inventions, including the Dymaxion™ Car, a geodesic dome being airlifted by helicopter, the 4D Apartment House, and several objects and models that reflect the geometric and structural principles he discovered.
Buckminster Fuller™, Dymaxion™ and World Game® are trademarks of the Estate of Buckminster Fuller. Spaceship Earth® is a registered trademark of the Buckminster Fuller Institute. This license represented by The Roger Richman Agency, Inc.
Art Director
Carl T. Herrman
As an art director for the U.S. Postal Service® for more than 15 years, Carl T. Herrman designed more than 50 stamps and guided more than 250 stamp projects, including Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, and Comic Strip Classics. He also served as art director for five of the Celebrate the Century stamp panes. He has won more than 260 awards for design and design management, including two gold medals from the Society of Illustrators.
Herrman’s career has included positions as Director of Creative Services and adjunct professor at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and Director of Marketing and Publications for the University of California at Irvine. He has provided consulting services for the Smithsonian Institution, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and numerous academic institutions. Herrman lives in Carlsbad,California.