Ceres, Typographed

Portugal · 1912 · 1/4c

This stamp features an allegorical depiction of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, grain, and fertility. She is shown holding a sickle and a sheaf of wheat, symbolizing Portugal's agricultural heritage. This design, originally engraved by José Sérgio de Carvalho e Silva, was the first issued by the First Portuguese Republic and became an iconic national symbol.

Issued shortly after the 1910 revolution that established the First Portuguese Republic, the Ceres series replaced stamps bearing the portrait of the deposed King Manuel II. This design represented a break from monarchy and a celebration of the nation's republican values and agricultural roots.