Numismatics as Art History

F5　—　Neighboring Disciplines

We will not discuss market prices at all. The profile by Euainetos, the microcosm of the bracteate, the engraving by Chiossone. It is art history in the palm of your hand.

Supervised by: Mitsuru Hayama　／　Reading time (main text): About 6 min (3,152 characters of text at 500 chars/min; exercises and readings not included)　／　Beyond the text: 6 exercises · 3 coins · 5 readings

What this course teaches you to do

• Can describe the pinnacles of monetary art (Syracuse, Bracteates, the Age of Gold Coins) in stylistic terms.
• Can explain the transmission of style (the testone from Italy to France) as a phenomenon in art history.
• Can identify engravers (Euainetos, Chiossone) as artists.
• Can discuss "What was beauty for?" in terms of the coexistence of multiple answers.

Lessons (6)

1. The Pinnacle of Classical Art — Hair of Flowing Water and the Facing PortraitThe line of Euainetos, the composition of Kimon. The first pinnacle of numismatic art is found in fifth-century BC Syracuse.
2. Originality of Style — A Microcosm Born of ThinnessBracteates turned thinness into expression. Styles unlike any other are born in the provinces.
3. Style travels — the testone from Italy.The king brought the style of portrait silver coins he saw in Milan back to his homeland. The transmission of art history occurred through coinage.
4. The Golden Age of Gold Coins — Saint George Slaying the DragonDuring the era of the gold standard, the most beautiful gold coins in history were born. The dragon-slaying design on the sovereign is its symbol.
5. An Engraver's Banknotes — Chiossone's Five Hundred PlatesThe hand that engraved nearly five hundred master plates turned banknotes into art. And the engraver's memories blended into the imagery.
6. What Was Beauty For? — The Coexistence of Four AnswersDisplay of power, guarantee of credit, a barrier against forgery, and beauty for its own sake. The answer is not a single choice, but a coexistence of these reasons.

Readings (5)

• Syracuse　Overview: 2,700 years of the world　405 BC　Euainetos
  Section 1. Profiles in Western Art History. The Apex of the Line.
• The bracteate　Germany　the 12th–13th centuries　Central-eastern Germany, an engraver's workshop
  Section 2. The Microcosm of Romanesque Art. Coinage as Part of a Sea of Period Styles.
• The gold of the Valois　France　1514–1547　The mint of the kingdom
  Section 3. A Case Study in the Transmission of Style. The Path from Italy.
• The sovereign is born　Britain　1817　London, the Royal Mint
  Section 4. Saint George and the Dragon. A Symbol of the Golden Age of Gold Coinage.
• The birth of the yen　Japan　1881　the Paper Money Bureau, the engraving room
  Section 5. The 500 Dies and the Collection Preserved in Genoa.

Assessment

6 exercises in this course (4 check, 1 compare, 1 written). Progress is recorded by self-assessment.