Numismatic Art in America: Aesthetics of the United States Coinage

From inside dust jacket... This volume, with over 400 illustrations, provides the first comprehensive aesthetic evaluation of American coinage and ample ammunition for its defense. Mr. Vermeule traces the American coinage from its tentative beginnings in a rented house in Philadelphia in 1792 through the 1960's, demonstrating that among modern coinages it has no rival in aesthetic richness. It includes such masterpieces as the primitively beautiful coins of the Neoclassic designs which dominated the nineteenth century, and the magnificent gold and silver commermorative medals designed by the leading sculptors of the early twentieth century. Mr. Vermeule explores each period, discussing the artistic heritage and merits of its coins. He analyzes the influence of the popular arts upon coin design, explores the inspirations of particular compositions and styles in both European and American painting and statuary, and sets the coins in the milieux of the eras that produced them. His work provides new understanding of the shaping of American past. Cornelius Vermeule is Curator of Classical Art, the Museum of Fine arts, Boston, and is currently Lecturer on Fine Arts, Harvard University.