Dante on Stamps is a web archive by Christopher D. Cook that collects appearances of Dante on postage stamps – “an authoritative resource and comprehensive catalog of postage stamps, first day covers, cancellations, and other philatelic items depicting the medieval Italian poet Dante Alighieri.”
“As a canonical figure in literature, Dante and his Commedia are popular themes on postage stamps. The first appearance of Dante on a postage stamp occurred in 1921, the 600th anniversary of his death, when Italy issued a set of three stamps featuring iconography from the Commedia and a portrait of the poet. Dante-themed postage stamps proliferated in 1965 and 1966 when more than a dozen countries celebrated the 700th anniversary of his birth. Other occasional issues have appeared since 1965, most recently in November 2011. This website includes philatelic items that either depict Dante himself or that depict themes directly associated with the poet (for example, publication anniversaries or scenes from the Commedia).” —Dante on Stamps
