Magisch vierkant van Ben Franklin en voor- en achterzijde van een munt met het portret van Severus Alexander 1768

This anonymous print from 1768 features a “Magic Square of Squares” that showcases Benjamin Franklin’s mathematical prowess. This type of square is a grid where the numbers in each row, column, and diagonal add up to the same sum. At the bottom of the print are depictions of the obverse and reverse sides of a coin featuring the Roman Emperor Severus Alexander. This artwork represents a visual documentation of a complex mathematical problem, and provides insights into the scientific and intellectual pursuits of the 18th century.