Design of ten hryvnias bill of the Ukrainian National Republic 1918

This ten hryvnia bill of the Ukrainian National Republic was designed by Heorhiy Narbut in 1918. It’s all about pattern and texture, and that feels right because money is meant to be felt as well as seen, and known as real. The rose color is so particular, it flirts with brown in a way that feels earthy. The whole thing is a tight dance of lines and shapes, look at the border designs, they're almost hypnotic. Then your eye is drawn to the Ukrainian coat of arms, a trident, front and center, surrounded by thorny plant-like decorations. It’s like seeing a ghost of folk art. The entire composition is a testament to the power of graphic design. I'm reminded of the work of Gustav Klimt. It's all about the surface, but with something deeper hiding just beneath. In art, as in life, things are not always what they seem.