Anonymous Follis c. 976 - 1035

Editor: This object is called Anonymous Follis, its artist is unknown, and it’s currently at the Harvard Art Museums. It's fascinating to consider how this small coin, worn with age, once held economic and perhaps even symbolic weight. What deeper meanings might be embedded in its imagery? Curator: The Anonymous Folles are powerful examples of Byzantine appropriation of iconographic language. Consider the figure on the obverse: Christ, but depicted in a style that deliberately recalls imperial portraiture. What does that visual link evoke? Editor: It suggests a merging of spiritual and earthly power, but I'm curious about the anonymity implied by the title. Curator: Precisely. Anonymity shifts focus. It's less about the Emperor's fleeting power and more about the enduring image of Christ Pantokrator, a visual testament to an eternal authority. The image outlives any ruler. What do you make of that concept in our modern world? Editor: That’s a profound point. It makes me think about how certain symbols endure while the individuals associated with them fade into history. Curator: Indeed. These coins prompt reflection on the complex relationship between image, power, and belief, revealing cultural continuities across centuries.