Anonymous Follis c. 976 - 1035

Editor: This is an Anonymous Follis, material not identified, from Harvard Art Museums. The worn texture makes me think about the hands it must have passed through. What do you see when you look at this coin? Curator: Well, the anonymity is what strikes me. It wasn’t just a form of currency, but also a form of propaganda. How does the absence of a specific ruler’s portrait shape its reception and message across a broader public? Editor: So, the lack of a specific ruler makes it more universally acceptable? Curator: Precisely! It speaks volumes about the intended reach and how such imagery participates in the political landscape of the time. Editor: That's a different way to look at it. I hadn’t considered the political implications of something so seemingly simple. Curator: Exactly, art isn't just aesthetic. It actively shapes how people engage with power.