Dante Alighieri
Alighieri has been immortalized as one of the most iconic poets of the middle ages. Born in modern-day Italy, Dante wrote the Divine Comedy or Comedìa. While his work stood the test of time, unfortunately, he didn’t. After a scandalous period of accusations of corruption and exile, Dante died of what is believed to be malaria.
He was buried in Ravenna at the Church of San Pier Maggiore (later called Basilica di San Francesco). Bernardo Bembo, the praetor of Venice, erected a tomb for him in 1483. Dante lived to the age of 56 and died in the year 1321. His work has survived centuries and is until this day an inspiration for writers and artists. He certainly left quite the legacy.
Catherine the Great
German-born princess Sophie Friederike Aguste was destined for greatness. Sophie was married to Grand Duke Peter, the Heir to the Russian throne. Upon her arrival in Russia in 1744, Sophie was given the title of Grand Duchess Catherine Alekseyevna. What seemed to be a royal fairytale on paper, couldn't have been further from the truth.
Peter made life incredibly difficult for Catherine due to his erratic and neurotic behavior. We think it is safe to say that their marriage was strained at the very least. In 1762, Catherine ascended to the throne as the Empress of Russia alongside her husband.
Truly Great
In the face of her tumultuous marital struggles, Catherine's unwavering intellect, captivating charm, and unyielding ambition proved to be the catalysts that propelled her toward greatness. Her indomitable spirit led her to orchestrate a daring coup, overthrowing her husband and assuming the reins of power. With resolute determination, she single-handedly steered Russia into a remarkable era of Enlightenment, marked by progressive reforms and intellectual growth.
Additionally, Catherine's visionary leadership resulted in the expansion of Russia's territories, solidifying its status as a formidable global power. Here, we behold a mesmerizing wax-figure recreation of the formidable Empress, her luminous blue eyes gleaming with a brilliance that rivals even her captivating diamond jewelry.
Not So Scary Looking
Dante Alighieri has been immortalized as a rather bony-faced and hawk-nosed intellectual. This is mostly due to Raphael's portrait of him. The Italian Renaissance painter was not very forgiving when depicting the literary legend, and while this image of him has made it all the way to Italy's two euro coin, it might not be entirely accurate.
Researchers from the University of Bologna worked on re-piecing the poet and found it to be very different from earlier portraits that were done by Botticelli, Raphael, and Giotto. Professor Giorgio Gruppioni, the lead anthropologist of the team was very happy with the restoration. It took him and two colleagues around a year to complete, he added. If you're eager to check out Dante's death mask, head to Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy!
Robert Burns
The national poet of Scotland, Robert Burns was a famous poet and lyricist nicknamed the Ploughman Poet and was actually chosen as the greatest Scot of all times by the Scottish public in a vote held in 2009 by a local television channel. His most famous song is Auld Lang Syne, which is traditionally sung in English-speaking countries at the end of the year.
It is said that Burns' face was depicted in more cities around the world than any other historical figure. He also appeared on stamps in Russia and the United Kingdom and has been featured on Scottish currency. Although the most famous portrayal of the poet was painted in 1787 by Alexander Nasmyth and resides in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The painting was commissioned by Burns’ publisher and was meant to be engraved on a new edition of his poems.