Thomas Jefferson, who served for two terms, from 1801-1809.
As shown in this artist rendering, Thomas Jefferson is staring right straight into the viewer's eyes, almost as if he listening to us try to justify how our society has strayed so very far from our Founding Father's ideals.
The tight line of his mouth implies a hint of exasperation with us, and yet the portrait as a whole conveys the sense that Jefferson is a patient and understanding man. So, what do we get when this artist rendering becomes an engraved coin?
Are we really looking at the same man that is depicted in the artist rendering? Of course we are; this is another view of third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, who is featured on the third Presidential Dollar.
However, comparing the rendering to the actual coin, we see that Jefferson has lost his penetrating gaze and the mildly exasperated set of his mouth.
Here he has a look that seems almost distant and little bit amused, as if he gets the joke that the rest of us are living. In fact, he is almost smirking here!
How can the actual coin we get be so different from the conceptual drawing?
Normally, it would be easy to attribute the difference to varying artistic perspectives, since the artist that designs the coin is often not the same artist who does the die engraving work.
In this case, however, the artist is one and the same, U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver Joseph Menna. So why does the visage of Jefferson on the coin look so different from the Jefferson in the artist rendering?
There are many considerations which go into making a successful coin design besides simply creating art.
Technical striking requirements may dictate that an area on the obverse die be made in lower relief to facilitate the even flow of metal into all points of the reverse design, for example.
If you have ever looked at a penny or nickel edge on, you might have noticed that the coin's rim isn't the same thickness all the way around.
Especially on the Wheat Cent, the area of Lincoln's chest and shoulder is in such high relief, drawing up so much metal during striking,
that the inscription on the reverse side of the coin in the same place often comes out lightly struck.
The variable thickness of the coin is clearly evident on most Wheat Cent specimens when looking at them edge on.
Today, when coins are designed and engraved, mint engineers and artists strive to minimize these "design flaws," so that solidly struck obverses and reverses are the norm for each coin.
To accomplish this level of striking perfection, sometimes the original artist conceptions must be altered by the engraver.
As shown in this artist rendering, Thomas Jefferson is staring right straight into the viewer's eyes, almost as if he listening to us try to justify how our society has strayed so very far from our Founding Father's ideals.
The tight line of his mouth implies a hint of exasperation with us, and yet the portrait as a whole conveys the sense that Jefferson is a patient and understanding man. So, what do we get when this artist rendering becomes an engraved coin?
Are we really looking at the same man that is depicted in the artist rendering? Of course we are; this is another view of third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, who is featured on the third Presidential Dollar.
However, comparing the rendering to the actual coin, we see that Jefferson has lost his penetrating gaze and the mildly exasperated set of his mouth.
Here he has a look that seems almost distant and little bit amused, as if he gets the joke that the rest of us are living. In fact, he is almost smirking here!
How can the actual coin we get be so different from the conceptual drawing?
Normally, it would be easy to attribute the difference to varying artistic perspectives, since the artist that designs the coin is often not the same artist who does the die engraving work.
In this case, however, the artist is one and the same, U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver Joseph Menna. So why does the visage of Jefferson on the coin look so different from the Jefferson in the artist rendering?
There are many considerations which go into making a successful coin design besides simply creating art.
Technical striking requirements may dictate that an area on the obverse die be made in lower relief to facilitate the even flow of metal into all points of the reverse design, for example.
If you have ever looked at a penny or nickel edge on, you might have noticed that the coin's rim isn't the same thickness all the way around.
Especially on the Wheat Cent, the area of Lincoln's chest and shoulder is in such high relief, drawing up so much metal during striking,
that the inscription on the reverse side of the coin in the same place often comes out lightly struck.
The variable thickness of the coin is clearly evident on most Wheat Cent specimens when looking at them edge on.
Today, when coins are designed and engraved, mint engineers and artists strive to minimize these "design flaws," so that solidly struck obverses and reverses are the norm for each coin.
To accomplish this level of striking perfection, sometimes the original artist conceptions must be altered by the engraver.
Posts
