Coin of Maurice Tiberius c. 588 - 589

This Byzantine coin of Maurice Tiberius sits here at Harvard, weighty at 13.44 grams, telling its tale through touch and symbol. It’s not about the grand gesture but the careful, considered strike. The artist wasn’t pushing paint around, but instead coercing metal into meaning, I can just imagine the rhythmic process of its making. See how the patina of age has softened the details, blurring the lines between image and ground. The face of the emperor, once sharp and defined, is now a ghostly echo. The letters, formal and precise, speak of empire and order, but there is also the slight imperfection of the coin’s edge, worn smooth by time. All of these details, combined, suggest chance and change. This coin reminds me of the work of contemporary artists like Vija Celmins, who use the language of realism to explore the nature of representation and memory. It shows us how art invites us to contemplate the passage of time, and the subtle shifts in meaning that occur as objects age and change.