Dinar of al-Muqtadir, Misr 913 - 914

Editor: Here we have a gold Dinar of al-Muqtadir, Misr. The artist is also listed as al-Muqtadir. It’s quite small, but the details are so ornate. How do you approach interpreting something like this? Curator: Consider the intricate inscription as a formal element. Note the concentric circles which frame the text. How does the repetition of form impact your reading of the object? Editor: It feels very purposeful and ordered. The script looks like it’s the focus. Curator: Indeed. The visual weight and formal arrangement invite us to contemplate the inscription as a primary element, perhaps even surpassing the value of the material itself. It’s all about the visual rhetoric. Editor: That’s fascinating; it makes me appreciate the coin in a new way. Curator: And I, in turn, am reminded of the power of even the smallest artifact to convey substantial meaning through form and composition.