France, 1900 Sower Type I, 15c Orange

France · 1900 · 15c

This definitive stamp features the iconic 'Sower' (La Semeuse) design by Oscar Roty. The allegorical figure of Liberty is depicted as a woman striding forward, sowing seeds of grain against a rising sun, symbolizing the fertile future of the French Republic. This specific issue is the Type I design, printed on unwatermarked paper.

Issued at the turn of the 20th century, the Sower design became one of France's most enduring and recognizable philatelic symbols, representing the nation's agricultural roots and republican ideals during the Belle Époque.