Anonymous Follis, Class D Imitation c. 1075 - 1080

Editor: This is an Anonymous Follis, Class D Imitation, a coin of unknown date, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The material and circular form are fascinating. What strikes you most about its composition? Curator: The patination and the blunting of the image field are significant. The effigy's distortion, juxtaposed with the cross on the reverse, offers a crude symmetry. Editor: Crude symmetry, I see that. What does it mean, formally, that it is an imitation? Curator: The deviation from established die design is key. Its aesthetic lies in the debasement of form, not in a strict adherence to established norms. It represents a breakdown of the intended visual language. Editor: It’s incredible how the degradation becomes a visual language in itself. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Indeed, the piece highlights how formal elements—even in their decay—communicate meaning.