Vatican City year 1977 Art – sculptures museums Pericles stamps set
In 1977, Vatican City issued a notable philatelic series dedicated to the Art Treasures of the Vatican Museums, specifically focusing on ancient sculptures. One of the primary stamps in this set features the famous Bust of Pericles.
1977 “Sculptures from the Vatican Museums” Set
This set was released on September 27, 1977, as the first issue in a series celebrating the museum’s statues. It consists of six stamps, each depicting a world-renowned masterpiece housed within the Vatican’s collections:
| Value (Lire) | Subject / Sculpture | Catalog No. (Michel) |
| 50 L. | The Nile (River God) | Mi: 705 |
| 80 L. | Bust of Pericles | Mi: 706 |
| 100 L. | The Married Couple (Etruscan) | Mi: 707 |
| 150 L. | Apollo Belvedere | Mi: 708 |
| 200 L. | Laocoön and His Sons | Mi: 709 |
| 250 L. | Belvedere Torso | Mi: 710 |
Key Details on the Pericles Stamp
- The Sculpture: The stamp features the marble portrait bust of the Athenian statesman Pericles (c. 495–429 BC). The original is a Roman copy of a Greek bronze by the sculptor Kresilas. It is famously housed in the Pio-Clementine Museum (part of the Vatican Museums) in the Hall of the Muses.
- Design: The stamps are known for their elegant, monochrome or dual-tone engraving style, which highlights the texture and depth of the marble.
- Philatelic Info: In the Scott catalog, this set is typically numbered #617-622, with the Pericles bust being #618.
Other 1977 Vatican Art Issues
If you are researching art stamps from this specific year, the Vatican also released:
- Sculptures on Christian Sarcophagi: A second issue (December 9, 1977) focusing on Paleo-Christian art.
- 400th Birth Anniversary of Rubens: A commemorative stamp featuring Peter Paul Rubens’ painting “Madonna with the Parrot.”
- Miniatures from the Apostolic Library: A set depicting the “Assumption of Mary.”
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