100 karbovanets of the Ukrainian State (avers) 1918

This is Heorhiy Narbut’s 100 karbovanets of the Ukrainian State, made in 1918. Look at the precision of the lines and how they weave together to create this currency. I feel a sense of the artist’s hand in the way that each individual component has been carefully crafted. What was it like to create something so intricate when the world was in turmoil? I imagine him hunched over a table, perhaps by candlelight, the air thick with ink and the scent of paper. Notice the repeating number "100" and the decorative border, how the design creates a feeling of value and importance through repetition and ornamentation. Look at the typeface; can you imagine what it would have been like to be Narbut, designing this from scratch? Artists are always in conversation, across time and space, picking up on each other’s cues and inspiring new ideas. I find it beautiful to consider how Narbut’s design might influence other artists, even today.