France postage stamps year 1938 René Descartes set

In 1938, France issued a commemorative postage stamp honoring René Descartes (1596-1650), the famous French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist.

Here are the key details about this French Descartes stamp:

The Stamp:

• It was issued as a single commemorative stamp on March 15, 1938.
• The denomination was 70 centimes + 10 centimes (semi-postal with surtax).
• The stamp was engraved and printed using the intaglio (recess) printing method.
• Scott catalog number: B70

Design:

• The stamp featured an engraved portrait of René Descartes based on a historical painting.
• Descartes was shown in 17th-century dress with long hair and a mustache.
• The inscription read “RENÉ DESCARTES 1596-1650” along with “RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE.”
• The design was elegant and classical, befitting the scholarly subject matter.

Significance:

• This stamp honored one of France’s greatest intellectual figures and the “father of modern philosophy.”
• Descartes was famous for his philosophical method of systematic doubt and the statement “Cogito ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am).
• He also made significant contributions to mathematics, particularly analytical geometry.
• The surtax helped fund various charitable or cultural causes.