Description
These two cinderella stamps were issued by the Comitato cattolico per l'omaggio a Dante Alighieri (Catholic Committee for the Homage to Dante Alighieri) in Ravenna, Italy, in 1921, presumably to raise funds for the restoration of the Basilica of San Francesco in that city. One stamp shows the basilica and a portrait of Dante. The other features the relief portrait attributed to Pietro Lombardo on Dante's tomb which is located next to the basilica.
The stamp showing the basilica has text as follows: vertically, along the left side: "COMITATO·CATTOLICO" (Catholic committee); vertically, along the right side: "VI·CENTENARIO·DANTESCO" (6th Dante centenary); and at the bottom: "·RAVENNA·MCCCXXI·=·MCMXXI·". The denomination is split on either side of the portrait of Dante: "CENT 20". The other stamp has text as follows: at the top, words from Inferno 4:80 and dates: "ONORATE / L'ALTISSIMO POETA·1321 / 1921" (Honor the most exalted poet); and at the bottom: "RAVENNA / CENT. 20".