Send My Regards to Dante

Links: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-84681019/stock-photo-vatican-circa-a-stamp-printed-in-vatican-shows-dante-s-inferno-circa.html

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-89951488/stock-photo-italy-circa-a-stamp-printed-in-italy-is-dedicated-to-the-th-anniversary-of-dante.html

The preceding links are two images of stamps depicting scenes from Dante’s Inferno, created in honor of the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri.  The stamps themselves are Italian, used for postage throughout Italy, and their marked value is measured in lire, the currency that directly preceded the euro in Italy.  The stamps not only show the length of Dante’s legacy, but also the immense important of his work to the Italian people.

The first stamp depicts the scene in Canto I, in which Dante encounters a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf  This is an iconic scene in Inferno as it introduces Dante’s struggles and beliefs pertaining to evil in the world.  Further, this scene, as depicted on a stamp coming from the Vatican, is crucial for Dante to establish his moral stance right from the beginning of the epic.  Consequently, this seems an incredibly appropriate scene for the Vatican to produce, without causing immense controversy with a scene more graphic or debated.  The beasts are clearly depicted with a terrifying stance and Dante is fearful.  The picture, even though it’s small, houses an accurate sentiment of the actual events of the first canto.

The second stamp shows canto X and Farinata, the Florentine who Dante talks with.  He is shown in a stone sepulcher, with another figure, who is Cavalcante.  It is interesting in the way it is depicted because the scene seems a lot less dark than it is described by Dante.  Dante and Vergil are depicted in blue and pink, whereas the shades are depicted naked.  This is a very important scene for the country of Italy altogether, as it features a chronicle of the past and future of Florence at the time of Dante’s writing. It is clear why this was chosen as a stamp image due to this historical importance.

The stamps themselves are not terribly intricate, but at the time of their production, it would have been a fun way to send mail to your friends.  In most countries, stamps signify legal tender, so using Dante’s images represent this level of importance for Italy.