Paul Calle (1928 - 2010) and Chris Calle (B. 1961) "1960's - Gagarin Becomes Columbus of the Cosmos" Signed lower right. Original Painting Mixed Media on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was published on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 60c Gagarin Becomes Columbus of the Cosmos stamp issued July 15, 1999. On April 12, 1961, the Soviet Union launched Vostok 1, the world's first manned spacecraft. Traveling over 25 times the speed of sound, Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made a complete orbit around the planet in 1 hour and 49 minutes. After re-entering the atmosphere, Gagarin parachuted to safety some four miles above Earth, bringing to a close the most exciting round-the-world trip of the 20th century. Newspapers around the globe trumpeted his triumph, with headlines declaring "Soviet Man is a Space Columbus." A contemporary report read, "Weeping with emotion, Premier Krushchev brought spaceman Yuri Gagarin home to Moscow Friday and the city's millions hailed the astronaut as the space age Columbus in a roaring welcome . . ." With his successful navigation of the Earth, Yuri Gagarin ushered in the age of manned space flight. Image Size: 10 x 14 in. Overall Size: 13 x 20 in. Unframed. (B16438 / B16439)