Tom is no bigger than his father’s thumb, but his adventures are much bigger. He gets swallowed by a cow, fights with giants, and becomes a favorite of King Arthur.
The History of Tom Thumb was first published in 1621, making it the oldest fairy tale in English to get printed.
János Kass (1927-2010) was a Hungarian illustrator, printmaker, painter, sculptor and graphic artist. He dedicated himself to the world of graphics and taught at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts and the Hungarian Academy of Applied Arts.
Kass started contributing to the designing of postage stamps from 1973 onwards, including the one in this article. In his days, he was considered among the best illustrators in the world. The theme of his art revolves around the Hungarian culture with elements of Modern Art.
Many works of János Kass are exhibited in the Hungarian National Gallery and the János Kass Gallery in Szeged.
- Name: Tom Thumb (Hüvelykmatyi)
- Country: Hungary
- Series: International Year of the Child, 1979
- Date of Issue: 29/12/1979
- Perforation: comb 12 x 11 1/2
- Size: 38×53 mm
- Face Value: 40fi
- Design: János Kass