This set of three postage stamps was issued by Ecuador to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Dante's birth, however the stamps were not issued until June 1966. The 10-centavos stamp shows a posterized version of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's 1871 painting Dante's Dream. The 80-centavos stamp shows a monochrome version of Henry Holiday's 1884 painting Dante and Beatrice. The 3-sucres stamp shows Gustave Doré's portrait of Dante in reverse next to a flame. Each stamp is captioned as follows: "LA RÉVE de DANTE Rossetti / SEPTIMO CENTENARIO DEL NACIMIENTO DE DANTE – 1.265–1.965" (S/. 0.10); "DANTE y Beatrix – Holiday / SEPTIMO CENTENARIO DEL NACIMIENTO DE DANTE – 1.265–1.965" (S/. 0.80); "1.265 DANTE 1.965 / SEPTIMO CENTENARIO DE SU NACIMIENTO" (S/. 3.00). At the top of each stamp is "CORREOS DEL / ECUADOR" and the denomination while the printer is indicated at the bottom: "DE LA RUE DE COLOMBIA" (Thomas de la Rue de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia).]]> ]]> This series of maximum cards was issued by KimCover (KimCover Art Gallery of Vatican Stamps, no. 36–39) for the Vatican City postage stamps of 1965. Each card reproduces its respective stamp within a decorative frame. At the top of each frame is "DANTE ALIGHIERI" and the coat of arms of Pope Paul VI; below each frame is "MCCLXV - MCMLXV". The first card (no. 36) shows Raphael's portrait of Dante from his fresco Disputation of the Holy Sacrament in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. The second, third, and fourth cards (no. 37–39) are based on Sandro Botticelli's illustrations to the Divina commedia found in a manuscript volume in the Kupferstichkabinett in Berlin known as MS Hamilton 201 and a manuscript in the Vatican Library known as Cod. Reg. Lat. 1896. The illustrations are as follows: Dante encounters a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf (no. 37; Inferno 1; Cod. Reg. Lat. 1896), Dante and Virgil at the foot of Mount Purgatory (no. 38; Purgatorio 3; MS Hamilton 201), and Dante and Beatrice in the heaven of the moon (no. 39; Paradiso 3; MS Hamilton 201). Each card was postmarked in Vatican City on May 18, 1965.]]> This postage stamp was issued by Germany in 1971 to commemorate the 650th anniversary of Dante's death. The stamp features Raphael's portrait of Dante from the artist's fresco Disputation of the Holy Sacrament in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. Above the portrait is text as follows: "DANTE ALIGHIERI + 1321"; to the right of the portrait is "DEUTSCHE BUNDESPOST" and the denomination, "10". Along the bottom edge is the year, "1971". The stamp was designed by Karl Hans Walter, engraved by Egon Falz, and printed by the Bundesdruckerei (Berlin).

A stamp with the same portrait, a face value of 30 Pf, and a horizontal orientation was designed but not issued and is known from existing photographic essay stamp specimens.

]]> Divina commedia. At the top of the stamp is a caption as follows: "Dante completes The Divine Comedy 1321". Near the lower right corner of the stamp is the number "2" enclosed by a circle containing the word "MILLENNIUM". At the bottom are the country name, "GRENADA/CARRIACOU / & PETITE MARTINIQUE", and the denomination, "50¢".]]> Dante et Virgile aux enfers (known in English as The Barque of Dante or Dante and Virgil in Hell). At the top of the stamp is the denomination, "750 FG", and the year of issue; at the bottom is the country name, "République de Guinée". The stamp was printed by Stamperija, Vilnius, Lithuania.]]> This postage stamp was issued for pneumatic mail and features an image of the Naples Bust of Dante. Below the portrait is "DANTE ALIGHIERI". To the right of the portrait is text as follows: "REGNO D'ITALIA / POSTA / PNEVMATICA / CENT. 15" (Kingdom of Italy, pneumatic mail). This text is superimposed on the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Italy. Along the bottom edge is the abbreviated name of the printer: "IST. POL. STATO - OFF. CARTE VALORI" (Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Officina Carte Valori).]]> Dante et Virgile aux enfers (known in English as The Barque of Dante or Dante and Virgil in Hell).]]> These stamps were issued by Italy as part of two series (a regular issue with ten stamps and an air mail issue with six stamps) for the "Proclamation of the Empire" featuring prominent Italians and other propaganda imagery. The three Dante stamps have the same design by Corrado Mezzana: a standing figure of the poet, holding a book, with a large imperial eagle in the background. On the regular issue 25-centesimi stamp, a 1925 quotation by Benito Mussolini appears below Dante: "IL PIV ALTO GENIO / DELLA POESIA" (The highest genius of poetry).¹ Dante's birth and death years flank the quotation and Mussolini's initial "M" appears below it. At the bottom is "POSTE ITALIANE" and the denomination "CENT. / 25". The other two stamps share the same text as follows: vertically, along the left side: "POSTA AEREA" (air mail); and vertically, along the right side: "ITALIANA"; their respective denominations are at the bottom. Along the bottom edge of each stamp are the abbreviated name of the printer, "IST. POL. STATO. OFF. CARTE VALORI" (Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Officina Carte Valori), and the designer, "C. MEZZANA".]]> iBolli.it.]]> Dante: Rivista internazionale di studi su Dante Alighieri 10 (2013): 127.]]> This postage stamp celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Società Dante Alighieri in 1889. The stamp shows a bust of Dante (based on the Naples Bust), an open book, and a globe, symbolizing the goals of the society in spreading Italian culture throughout the world. Above the globe is text as follows: "CENTENARIO SOCIETÀ / DANTE ALIGHIERI" (centenary of the Società Dante Alighieri). Along the bottom edge of the stamp is the abbreviated name of the printer: "I.P.Z.S. - ROMA - 1990" (Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato) and the designer: "M. CODONI" (Mario Codoni).]]> This postage stamp was issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Accademia di studi italo-tedeschi/Akademie Deutsch-Italienischer Studien in Merano, Italy. The stamp shows the academy's logo consisting of overlapping profile portraits of Dante and German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe within a circle. At the top of the stamp is text as follows: "ACCADEMIA DI STUDI ITALO-TEDESCHI / AKADEMIE DEUTSCH-ITALIENISCHER STUDIEN / 1959-2009 / MERANO MERAN" (Academy for Italian-German Studies, Merano). Along the bottom edge of the stamp is the abbreviated name of the printer: "I.P.Z.S. S.p.A. - ROMA - 2009" (Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato) and the designer: "A.M. MARESCA" (Anna Maria Maresca).]]> This postage stamp is the 25th in a series issued to commemorate the Giornata della Filatelia (Philately Day). In the center of the stamp is a reproduction of the 1965 Italian 500-lire postage stamp showing the Naples Bust of Dante. The background comprises a collage of the following designs: (1) lower left: the Italian cancellation of November 30, 2007, showing Dante in profile; (2) upper right: the Italian cancellation of October 23, 2009, showing a representation of Dante's hell; and (3) lower right: an envelope stamped with three 25-centesimi Italian "Proclamation of the Empire" postage stamps from 1938 designed by Corrado Mezzana.

In the upper left corner of the stamp is text as follows: "GIORNATA / DELLA / FILATELIA / PROGETTO / DANTE" (Philately Day Dante Project); across the bottom of the stamp is "LA DIVINA COMMEDIA ATTRAVERSO LA FILATELIA" (The Divina commedia through philately). Along the bottom edge of the stamp is the abbreviated name of the printer: "I.P.Z.S. S.p.A. - ROMA - 2011" (Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato) and the designer: "G. IELUZZO" (Gaetano Ieluzzo).

]]> Gaetano Ieluzzo. The cancellation reproduces the 1965 Italian 500-lire postage stamp showing the Naples Bust of Dante; the Italian cancellation of November 30, 2007, showing Dante in profile; the Italian cancellation of October 23, 2009, showing a representation of Dante's hell; and an envelope stamped with three 25-centesimi Italian "Proclamation of the Empire" postage stamps from 1938 designed by Corrado Mezzana.
]]> http://e-filatelia.poste.it/showSchedaProdotto.asp?id_prodotto=16480]]> These are the first postage stamps ever issued that feature Dante and the first Italian postage stamps to feature an author.¹ One of the first descriptions of these stamps is perhaps the best: the following account appeared in the October 1, 1921, issue of The Stamp Collectors' Fortnightly and International Stamp Advertiser:

From Il Giornale d'Italia, September 15th, 1921, kindly forwarded to us by our esteemed colleague, Dr. Emilio Diena, we get our first glimpse of the designs for the stamps issued to commemorate the Sixth Centenary of the death of Dante Alighieri, Italy's greatest poet, and the exalted creator of the 'Commedia' to which the world has added the 'Divina' in token of its sublime grandeur.

'To-day,' states Il Giornale, 'the Ministry of Posts issue the new stamps dedicated to the Dante Centenary. It is the first time that the Italian government has interposed such an issue among its postage stamps, but Dante is worthy of such an exception.

'The series comprises three stamps, 15, 25 and 40 centesimi. All three are examples of the beautiful work of the gifted artist of Rome, Guiseppe [sic] Cellini. One was engraved by Proia [i.e., G. Priola], and the others owing to the death of Proia [i.e., G. Priola], by Grimaldi. They were printed at the establishment of Petiti in Rome.

'The 15 centesimi shows the eagle, bearing the open book of the "Commedia", and around the verse [from Inferno 4:96] Che sopra gli altri com' aquila vola—(He who is above others as the eagle flies).

'The second, 25 centesimi, depicts Italy seated on a throne, crowned with a laurel wreath, holding up in one arm the sacred poem. Motto [from Inferno 4:80]: Onorate l'altissimo poeta—(Honoured be the most exalted poet).

'The third stamp, 40 centesimi has a picture of the poet to the middle of the bust, within a pulpit in the act of expounding his own book. Motto [from Purgatorio 7:17]: Mostrò cio che potea la lingua nostra—(He shows that of which our tongue is capable).

'All bear the initials S.N.D.A. (Società Nazionale Dante Alighieri) for the issue is made for the benefit of that patriotic and deserving society for the protection and guardianship of the Italian abroad and at home. Thus it was petitioned at the Congress in Trieste, and so it will be followed by the Congress at Trente on September 17th.

'The stamps are valuable works of art and the stamps are evidentally sought after by philatelists.

'For a short period they will be sold for the regular franking of correspondence. And the few that remain unsold will be sought after by the collectors now so numerous throughout the world.'

We learn from Il Corriere Filatelico that 400,000 sets of the Dante issue have been printed.²

A gray version of the 15-centesimi stamp exists but was not officially issued. The gray version was discovered in September 1943; gray is thought to have been the color originally intended for this stamp in the series.³Stamps with the "B.L.P." (Buste, Lettere, Postali) overprint also are known, however these were not regularly issued.⁴ B.L.P. stamps were issued at a discount for use by charities serving veterans of World War I. Sassone catalogs over two dozen varieties for this series including examples of printing, cutting, and perforation errors as well as stamps exhibiting different watermarks.

]]> http://www.ibolli.it/php/em-italia-122-Aquila%20che%20tiene%20la%20divina%20commedia.php]]> Dante: Rivista internazionale di studi su Dante Alighieri 10 (2013): 119.

2. "The Dante Centenary Stamps." The Stamp Collectors' Fortnightly and International Stamp Advertiser 27, no. 693 (October 1, 1921): 307.

3. "6º centenario della morte di Dante Alighieri." iBolli.it. March 11, 2013. http://www.ibolli.it/php/em-italia-122-Aquila%20che%20tiene%20la%20divina%20commedia.php. Retrieved on September 13, 2013.

4. "Serie Dante, non emessa." iBolli.it. March 11, 2013. http://www.ibolli.it/php/ems-italia-1648-Serie%20Dante,%20non%20emessa.php. Retrieved on September 13, 2013.]]> o 769 Italia". The card features a black and white photograph of the Naples Bust of Dante, the 1990 Italy postage stamp commemorating the centenary of the Società Dante Alighieri, and a cancellation from Verona showing the city's Basilica di San Zeno.]]> This maximum card features a black and white photograph of Raphael's portrait of Dante from the artist's fresco Disputation of the Holy Sacrament in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, the 1971 Germany postage stamp commemorating the 650th anniversary of Dante's death (which also shows the same portrait by Raphael), and a cancellation from Bonn showing Dante.]]> This set of three stamps, designed by Emvin Cremona, was issued by Malta to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Dante's birth. Each stamp features Raphael's portrait of Dante from the artist's fresco Disputation of the Holy Sacrament in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. Except for denomination, the stamps share the same text as follows: in the upper left corner: "DANTE / 1265-1965" and in the lower right corner: "MALTA".

]]> In addition to the stamp, a miniature sheet also is known. The sheet features nine stamps, each depicting an event or person from each century of the last millennium. Each stamp has a caption running vertically along the left side. The captions are as follows:

"1st Crusade begins 11th Century" (100 F)
"Chess arrives to England 12th Century" (200 F)
"End of Crusades 13th Century" (300 F)
"Dante Alighieri 14th Century" (100 F)
"Christopher Columbus 15th Century" (200 F)
"William Shakespeare 16th Century" (300 F)
"Isaak Newton 17th Century" (100 F)
"Johann Sebastian Bach 18th Century" (200 F)
"Ludwig von Beethoven 19th Century" (300 F)

Along the top of the sheet is the word "MILLENIUM" and along the bottom is "Events & famous people of XI - XIX th Century". The sheet is dated "1999" in the lower left corner.

]]>

70-cent stamp: at the top: "Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527); and at the bottom: "0,70€ / MONACO".
85-cent stamp: at the top: "Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375); and at the bottom: "0,85€ / MONACO".
1.30-euro stamp: at the top: "Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374); and at the bottom: "1,30€ / MONACO".

The names of the designer, printer, and engraver appear along the bottom edge of each stamp: "DE LA PATELLIERE" (Cyril de la Patelliere); "Phil@poste 2009"; and "BEAUJARD" (Yves Beaujard).]]> In 1932, Italy issued a series of twelve stamps for the benefit of the Società Dante Alighieri. The series depicts famous Italian poets and writers including (in order by increasing denomination) Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolò Machiavelli, Paolo Sarpi, Vittorio Alfieri, Ugo Foscolo, Giacomo Leopardi, Giosuè Carducci, Carlo Botta, Torquato Tasso, Francesco Petrarca, Ludovico Ariosto, and Dante. The Dante stamp shows a portrait of the poet after the Naples Bust and symbols of Italy (coat of arms and fasces). Above the portrait is "POSTE ITALIANE" and below is "SOCIETÀ NAZIONALE DANTE ALIGHIERI". Below Dante's chin is "DANTE ALIGHIERI". The premium of 2.50 lire was intended for the benefit of the society. The series was designed by Francesco Chiapelli and printed by the Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Officina Carte Valori.]]> In 1932, Italy issued a series of twelve stamps for the benefit of the Società Dante Alighieri. In addition to regular issue stamps and stamps for the Italian colonies, the government also issued stamps for the Italian Aegean Islands territory. The series depicts famous Italian poets and writers including (in order by increasing denomination) Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolò Machiavelli, Paolo Sarpi, Vittorio Alfieri, Ugo Foscolo, Giacomo Leopardi, Giosuè Carducci, Carlo Botta, Torquato Tasso, Francesco Petrarca, Ludovico Ariosto, and Dante. The Dante stamp shows a portrait of the poet after the Naples Bust and symbols of Italy (coat of arms and fasces). Above the portrait is "POSTE ITALIANE" and below is "SOCIETÀ NAZIONALE DANTE ALIGHIERI". Below Dante's chin is "DANTE ALIGHIERI". The Italian Aegean Islands issue is overprinted with the phrase "ISOLE ITALIANE / DELL EGEO" and printed in brown. The premium of 2.50 lire was intended for the benefit of the society. The series was designed by Francesco Chiapelli and printed by the Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Officina Carte Valori.]]> In 1932, Italy issued a series of twelve stamps for the benefit of the Società Dante Alighieri. In addition to regular issue stamps and Aegean Islands stamps, the government also issued stamps for the Italian colonies. The series depicts famous Italian poets and writers including (in order by increasing denomination) Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolò Machiavelli, Paolo Sarpi, Vittorio Alfieri, Ugo Foscolo, Giacomo Leopardi, Giosuè Carducci, Carlo Botta, Torquato Tasso, Francesco Petrarca, Ludovico Ariosto, and Dante. The Dante stamp shows a portrait of the poet after the Naples Bust and symbols of Italy (coat of arms and fasces). Above the portrait is "POSTE ITALIANE" and below is "SOCIETÀ NAZIONALE DANTE ALIGHIERI". Below Dante's chin is "DANTE ALIGHIERI". The Italian colonies issue is overprinted in red with the phrase "COLONIE ITALIANE" and printed in blue. The premium of 2.50 lire was intended for the benefit of the society. The series was designed by Francesco Chiapelli and printed by the Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Officina Carte Valori.]]> The Parnassus. The stamp has text as follows: at the top: "AEREO-MEXICO"; below Dante's chin: "1965"; and at the bottom: "$2.⁰⁰ / 1265 DANTE 1321". Along the bottom edge are the name of the designer, "LACAYO.", the artist "RAFAEL SANZIO", and the abbreviated name of the printer, "T.I.E.V." (Talleres de Impresión de Estampillas y Valores in Mexico City).]]> This set of two postage stamps was issued by Paraguay in 1966 as part of an 8-stamp set celebrating four world authors (Dante Alighieri, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Molière, and William Shakespeare). The Dante stamps show a monochrome version of Henry Holiday's 1884 painting Dante and Beatrice and Giotto's portrait of the poet. The stamps are captioned as follows: "DANTE / ALIGHIERI / 1265-1321"; "PRIMER ENCUENTRO CON BEATRIZ / A LA ORILLA DEL ARNO·FLORENCIA" (First encounter with Beatrice on the bank of the Arno, Florence); and, vertically along the left side, "CUADRO PINTADO POR HOLIDAY" (Picture painted by Holiday). At the top of the 10-céntimos stamp is "CORREO DEL / PARAGUAY / CENTENARIO DE LA EPOPEYA NACIONAL DE 1864 - 1870" (Mail of Paraguay; Centenary of the national epic of 1864-1870); at the top of the 36-guaraní stamp is "CORREO AEREO DEL / PARAGUAY / CENTENARIO DE LA EPOPEYA NACIONAL DE 1864 - 1870" (Air mail of Paraguay; Centenary of the national epic of 1864-1870). The denomination is in the lower right corner while the printer and designer are indicated along the bottom: "DE LA RUE DE COLOMBIA" (Thomas de la Rue de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia) and "MOSDÓSSY" (Imre Mosdóssy). The stamps are known to have been printed in other colors.]]> This set of four postage stamps was issued by San Marino to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Dante's birth. The stamps feature the following illustrations by Gustave Doré: portrait of Dante (LIRE 40; engraved by Z. Vannelli); "Charon and the River Acheron" from Inferno 3:82–84 (LIRE 90; engraved by S. Vara); "The Eagle" from Purgatorio 9:29–30 (LIRE 130; engraved by A. Quieti); and "The Heaven of the Fixed Stars" from Paradiso 26:7–9 (LIRE 140; engraved by M. Colombati). The stamps all have the same caption around the illustration as follows: "VII CENTENARIO / NASCITA / DANTE ALIGHIERI / REP. DI S. MARINO" (7th centenary of the birth of Dante Alighieri, Republic of San Marino). Along the bottom edge of each stamp is the abbreviated name of the printer: "I.P.S.-OFF.CART.VAL.-ROMA 1965" (Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Officina Carte Valori).]]> "Allegorical Portrait of Dante" in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The stamp was printed by the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing.]]> Plate number report:

Plate # 28108 Printed: June 21, 1965 - Units printed: 158,945
Plate # 28109 Printed: June 21, 1965 - Units printed: 158,946
Plate # 28110 Printed: June 23, 1965 - Units printed: 156,163
Plate # 28111 Printed: June 23, 1965 - Units printed: 156,163

All of the plates were certified on June 10, 1965, and retired from further use on December 16, 1966. Source: Larson, John L. and Kim D. Johnson, comps. Bureau Issues Association Plate Number Checklist: Plates 20000–41303. Belleville, Illinois: Bureau Issues Association, Inc., 1990.

]]> First Day of Issue Ceremony Program - United States - 1965]]> Poster - United States - 1965]]> Press Photograph - United States - 1965
]]> The 1965 United States Dante Stamp. Columbus, Ohio: Silver Anchor Press, 2017.]]> De Vito, Anthony J., "The First Hundred Years of the Dante Society," Dante Studies 100 (1982): 110, 123–132.]]> COROS Chronicle 101 (April 1965): 26.]]>