Follis (Coin) Portraying the Emperor Justinian I
538-539
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diam.: 3.9 cm (1 9/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
36626
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin portrays the emperor Justinian I, facing forward and holding a globe in his right hand; there is a cross above his left shoulder. The back (reverse) depicts the letter M with a cross above.
About the Artist
Byzantine
"Byzantine" is the collective attribution given to anonymous artists working within the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, whose creations spanned from the 4th to the 15th centuries, primarily in Constantinople and its cultural sphere. These masters produced a vast body of art that defined an era, with museums like the Walters Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago cataloging numerous works un...