This miniature sheet features nine paintings by the French Romantic artist Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) and is part of a much larger series of seventy-two stamps celebrating European painters. The stamps on this sheet reproduce the following paintings:

  • The Barque of Dante
  • The Massacre at Chios
  • The Women of Algiers (In Their Apartment)
  • Entry of the Crusaders in Constantinople
  • Liberty Leading the People
  • [Battle]
  • Christ on the Sea of Galilee
  • Death of Sardanapalus
  • The Combat of the Giaour and Hassan

All of the stamps have a denomination of 750 FG (750 GNF).

]]> This miniature sheet was issued to commemorate the turn of the millennium in general and achievements and events of the first half of the 14th century in particular. The sheet features seventeen stamps and seventeen events with a short description of each along the left side. The stamps are captioned as follows:

  • "Robert Bruce crowned King of Scotland 1306"
  • "Fresco painting by Giotto 1306"
  • "Mansa Musa, Ruler of Mali 1307"
  • "Dante completes The Divine Comedy 1321"
  • "Noh Theater developed in Japan 1325"
  • "Tenochtitlan founded by Aztecs 1325"
  • "Ibn Batuta sets out on 24 year journey 1325"
  • "Great Munich fire 1327"
  • "1328 Ivan I makes Moscow capital"
  • "Hundred Years War begins 1337"
  • "First use of cannon in Europe 1346"
  • "Black Death devastates Europe 1348"
  • "Boccaccio starts writing The Decameron 1348"
  • "Eyeglasses developed in Italy 1350"
  • "Plate armor replacing chain mail 1350"
  • "Grand Canal of China is completed 1326"
  • "Great migration of Maoris to New Zealand 1350"

All of the stamps have a denomination of 50¢ (0.50 XCD).

]]> This miniature sheet was issued to commemorate the turn of the millennium in general and achievements and events of the second half of the 13th century in particular. The sheet features seventeen stamps and seventeen events with a short description of each along the left side. The stamps are captioned as follows:

  • "1250– Expansion of the Inquisition"
  • "1260– Chartres Cathedral"
  • "1260– Naumburg sculptures"
  • "1261– First English Parliament"
  • "1270– Maestà by Cimabue"
  • "1271– Marco Polo"
  • "1271– Divine Wind"
  • "1274– Death of Thomas Aquinas"
  • "1277– Arezzo Cathedral"
  • "1286– 'The Maid' of Norway, Queen of Scotland"
  • "1290– Jewish exodus from England"
  • "1291– Acre is taken over by Muslims"
  • "1291– Moshe de Leon incorporates his work in the text of The Zohar"
  • "1292–98 – German Civil War"
  • "1294– Death of Kublai Khan"
  • [Stamp not captioned; caption from description: "1295 Dante (Florence, 1265) writes La Vita Nuova, dedicated to Beatrice. Albeit impossible, his love remained alive forever, immortalized in one of the masterpieces of Western literature."
  • "1296– 'Autumn Colors on the Quiao and Hua Mountains' by Zhan Mengfu"

All of the stamps have a denomination of 60¢ (0.60 XCD).

]]> This first day cover was designed by C. Stephen Anderson. The cachet features a woodcut-style portrait of Dante above a brief biography of the poet. The text of the biography is as follows:

Born in Florence, Italy, in 1265, Dante Aligheri was perhaps the outstanding poet of the middle ages. He is often called the father of Italian literature. His best-known works are "New Life" and the "Divine Comedy". A lesser known but important work, "On Monarchy," advocated the separation of church and state. The last nineteen years of his life were spent wandering in exile. He died in Ravenna, Italy, in 1321.

Here Dante's surname is spelled "Aligheri," an accepted alternative for "Alighieri." The cachet is known in a black, green, and red versions.]]> This maximum card was issued by Lupita and postmarked in Buenos Aires on September 16, 1965. The cachet features a black and white left-facing portrait of Dante, a quill pen, and three books with titles in Spanish: "LA / DIVINA COMEDIA" (Divine Comedy), "LIRICAS" (Poems), and "DE LA MONARQUIA" (On Monarchy). Above the image is "DANTE ALIGHIERI", to the left, vertically, is "Tarjeta primer día / First day card", and below is "Genial Poeta Florentino - 1265/1321" (great Florentine poet).]]> This first day cover was issued by the philatelic group Círculo Filatélico de Liniers and postmarked in Rosario, Santa Fe, on September 16, 1965. The cachet features Gustave Doré's portrait of Dante. Below the portrait is a detail from Doré's illustration for Purgatorio 2:43-44 depicting Dante and Virgil watching as a "heavenly pilot" guides his boat toward them as they stand on the shore. A banner proclaims "SEPTIMO CENTENARIO" in reference to the 700th anniversary of Dante's birth.]]> Divina commedia and other works as well as one fresco. Each stamp is printed either horizontally or vertically between two labels: the left label is Raphael's portrait of Dante from the artist's fresco Disputation of the Holy Sacrament in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City and the right label is a quotation from the Divina commedia relevant to the illustration on the stamp. The horizontally printed stamps have "christmas" and "peace" to the left and right of the portrait, respectively, while the vertically printed stamps have "christmas" below the portrait. At the bottom of each stamp are the denomination, air mail designation, and country in English and the denomination and country in Arabic.

Below are listed for each stamp the subject, label quotation, and illustration source (library, manuscript shelfmark, folio number, place of origin, artist, and approximate date of creation). Identification of the illustration sources was kindly provided by Melissa Conway.
  • Michel 887 – The three beasts – Inferno 1:49–51 – Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, Italien 2017, f. 10v, Lombardy, Master of the Vitae Imperatorum, ca. 1440
  • Michel 888 – Pope Celestine V – Inferno 3:59–60 – Unidentified; from a manuscript of the Vaticinia de summis pontificibus
  • Michel 889 – Paolo and Francesca – Inferno 5:103–105 – Milan, Biblioteca Trivulziana, 1076, f. 13v, Lombardy, ca. 1385
  • Michel 890 – Cerberus – Inferno 6:13–15 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 15r, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 891 – Dante and Virgil – Inferno 9:127–129 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 22v, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 892 – Farinata degli Uberti – Inferno 10:31–33 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 25r, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 893 – Pope Anastasius II – Inferno 11:7–9 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 28r, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 894 – Centaurs – Inferno 12:73–75 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Vat. lat. 4776, f. 42v, ca. 1390–1400
  • Michel 895 – Pier della Vigna – Inferno 13:58–61 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 33r, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 896 – Brunetto Latini – Inferno 15:31–33 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 38v, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 897 – Swindlers – Inferno 21:43–45 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 54v, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 898 – Caiaphas – Inferno 23:109–111 – Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, Italien 74, f. 68r, Florence, Bartolomeo di Fruosino, ca. 1420
  • Michel 899 – Dante and Virgil – Inferno 26:31–33 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 72v, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 900 – Bocca degli Abati – Inferno 32:37–39 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 87r, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 901 – Lucifer's Legs – Inferno 34:88–90 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 95v, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 902 – Cato – Purgatorio 1:71–72 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 97r, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 903 – Angel – Purgatorio 2:43–45 – Unidentified
  • Michel 904 – Manfred – Purgatorio 3:112–113 – Unidentified; possibly from a manuscript of the Liber ad honorem Augusti
  • Michel 905 – Belacqua – Purgatorio 4:103–105 – London, British Library, Egerton 943, f. 69v, Emilia or Padua, Master of the Antiphonar of Padua, ca. 1325–1350
  • Michel 906 – Sordello – Purgatorio 6:74–75 – London, British Library, Egerton 943, f. 74r, Emilia or Padua, Master of the Antiphonar of Padua, ca. 1325–1350
  • Michel 907 – Nino Visconti – Purgatorio 8:52–54 – London, British Library, Egerton 943, f. 76v, Emilia or Padua, Master of the Antiphonar of Padua, ca. 1325–1350
  • Michel 908 – Angel – Purgatorio 17:55–57 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Urb. lat. 365, f. 145r, Urbino, Guglielmo Giraldi and assistants, ca. 1478
  • Michel 909 – Leah – Purgatorio 27:100–102 – London, British Library, Egerton 943, f. 113r, Emilia or Padua, Master of the Antiphonar of Padua, ca. 1325–1350
  • Michel 910 – Eunoe River – Purgatorio 28:121–123 – Unidentified
  • Michel 911 – Dante and Beatrice – Purgatorio 31:103–104 – London, British Library, Egerton 943, f. 121r, Emilia or Padua, Master of the Antiphonar of Padua, ca. 1325–1350
  • Michel 912 – The order of paradise – Paradiso 1:109–111 – Vatican City, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Cod. Barb. lat. 4112, f. 141r, Tuscany?, 1419
  • Michel 913 – Empyrean – Paradiso 2:112–114 – London, British Library, Yates Thompson 36, f. 132r, Tuscany, Giovanni di Paolo, ca. 1450
  • Michel 914 – Justinian – Paradiso 6:10–12 – Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, It. IX, 276 (=6902), f. 56v, Veneto, ca. 1380–1400
  • Michel 915 – Rahab – Paradiso 9:112–116 – Venice, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, It. IX, 276 (=6902), f. 59v, Veneto, ca. 1380–1400
  • Michel 916 – Saint Francis – Paradiso 11:73–75 – Assisi, fresco by Cimabue in the Basilica of Saint Francis, Lower Church, ca. 1280
  • Michel 917 – Cacciaguida – Paradiso 17:58–60 – Padua, Biblioteca del Seminario, MS 67, f. 259v, Padua, early 1400s
  • Michel 918 – Eagle of Souls – Paradiso 19:1–3 – London, British Library, Yates Thompson 36, f. 162r, Tuscany, Giovanni di Paolo, ca. 1450
  • Michel 919 – Saturn – Paradiso 21:25–27 – Modena, Biblioteca Estense, α.X.2.14 = Lat. 209, f. 4v, Milan, ca. 1450–1460
  • Michel 920 – Jesus Christ – Paradiso 23:28–30 – London, British Library, Yates Thompson 36, f. 171r, Tuscany, Giovanni di Paolo, ca. 1450
  • Michel 921 – Saint Peter – Paradiso 24:34–36 – London, British Library, Yates Thompson 36, f. 172r, Tuscany, Giovanni di Paolo, ca. 1450
]]> Vitae Imperatorum]]> This postage stamp was issued as part of a joint issue with Italy and San Marino for the Giornata della Lingua Italiana (Celebration Day of the Italian Language) in 2009. It depicts a scene from the beginning of Inferno in which Dante (accompanied by Virgil in this illustration but not in the text) is blocked by three beasts. The scene is taken from a miniature in Codex Urbinate Latino 365, a fifteenth-century manuscript in the Vatican Library. Each stamp is printed adjacent to a label with the first line from Inferno 1: "Nel / mezzo / del cammin / di nostra / vita" (Midway in the journey of our life). The second and third lines of Inferno appear on the San Marino and Italy stamps, respectively. The stamp was designed by Mauro Olivieri and Orlando Tomassi and printed by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato.]]> This postage stamp was issued as part of a joint issue with Italy and Vatican City for the Giornata della Lingua Italiana (Celebration Day of the Italian Language) in 2009. It depicts a scene from the beginning of Inferno in which Dante (accompanied by Virgil in this illustration but not in the text) is blocked by three beasts. The scene is taken from a miniature in Codex Urbinate Latino 365, a fifteenth-century manuscript in the Vatican Library. Each stamp is printed adjacent to a label with the second line from Inferno 1: "mi / ritrovai / per una / selva / oscura," (I found myself in a dark wood). The first and third lines of Inferno appear on the Vatican City and Italy stamps, respectively. The stamp was designed by Mauro Olivieri and Orlando Tomassi and printed by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato.]]>
The stamp depicts a scene from the beginning of Inferno in which Dante (accompanied by Virgil in this illustration but not in the text) is blocked by three beasts. The scene is taken from a miniature in Codex Urbinate Latino 365, a fifteenth-century manuscript in the Vatican Library. Each stamp is printed adjacent to a label with the third line from Inferno 1: "ché la / diritta / via / era / smarrita." (that the right way was lost). The first two lines of Inferno appear on the Vatican City and San Marino stamps, respectively. The stamp has text as follows: at the top: "€ 0,60"; at the bottom: "ITALIA"; and along the bottom, the abbreviated name of the printer: "I.P.Z.S. S.p.A. - ROMA - 2009" (Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato). The stamp was designed by Mauro Olivieri and Orlando Tomassi.]]> "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.]]> 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).]]> 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.]]> 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).]]> 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.]]> 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. 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.]]>
  • 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 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.

]]> 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".

]]> 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.]]> 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.]]>