The 100 crowns bill 1910

Koloman Moser made this 100 crowns bill around 1910 with etching and engraving. It's amazing how much detail he got from those processes. Looking at the woman's dress, you can see it’s made of tiny geometric shapes. The whole thing is a field of these little marks, like a puzzle. But the fun part is, that these little marks are not just decorative. They build up the image, making it feel almost alive. Like pixels on a screen, but way more soulful. I love that Moser's approach to money acknowledges that art is a human endeavor, the artist's hand is present in the design, and maybe that makes it more valuable. It reminds me a bit of the work of Gustav Klimt, who also used pattern and decoration to create these dreamy, otherworldly images. Ultimately art is about this conversation and exchange of ideas, isn’t it?