Anonymous Follis c. 1042 - 1050

Curator: Before us is an Anonymous Follis, held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Its patinated surface gives it such gravitas, a tangible weight of history rendered in the round. Curator: Indeed. One face bears the image of Christ, while the other depicts a religious inscription. The imagery, in its abstraction, speaks volumes. It reminds us that iconography can convey belief through symbolic form. Editor: Looking at the lines used to define the drapery and the halo, I see a skillful arrangement of forms, simple yet effective in suggesting depth and volume on such a small scale. Curator: Precisely, the wear and imperfections only accentuate its historical value and speak to its journey across time. Editor: Yes, each mark tells a story, inviting us to contemplate the lives it touched and the beliefs it represented.