Coin of Justinian I c. 543 - 544

Curator: Let’s consider this artifact, a coin from the reign of Justinian I, held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Its worn surface whispers of ancient commerce. What a fascinating texture. Curator: Indeed. Consider the Imperial portrait: its hierarchical scale and rigid symmetry signal power. The details in the diadem and robes are meticulously rendered. Editor: Think of the hands that struck this coin, the metalworkers shaping the image of an empire, circulating its message. Curator: The symbolic order is self-evident: divine right expressed through visual language. Editor: And consider the material itself: how the baseness of the metal contrasts with the loftiness of its purpose. Curator: A material contradiction, certainly, but the coin’s formal structure seeks to transcend such earthly limitations. Editor: Yes, I see that contrast more clearly now. Thanks. Curator: And I, its social life.