AR Gordian III 241 - 243

Editor: Here we have a coin of AR Gordian III from the Harvard Art Museums. The wear on the metal gives it a certain texture; what strikes you about it? Curator: The incuse relief is fascinating. Consider the semiotic implications of compressing an emperor's image onto a portable, reproducible object. Editor: So, it's not just the image but what the image represents? Curator: Precisely. The line and form articulate power; its circular form and metallic composition create a statement about authority and value, don't you think? Editor: I do. The formal qualities really shape the symbolic impact. Curator: Indeed, we see how material, form, and image converge to create meaning.