Motif for Bank Note Design
Classification
numismatics
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Walter Shirlaw
Accession Number
1912-16-75
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Motif for Bank Note Design** by Walter Shirlaw (1838–1909), created around 1895, offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of art and commerce in late 19th-century America Born in Scotland and later embracing his American identity, Shirlaw a prominent illustrator and engraver, celebrated for his precise, detailed line work in publications like *Harper's Weekly*. This piece, classified under numism at the Smithsonian American Art Museum represents a preparatory design for currency—a time when U.S. banknotes evolved amid economic expansion and growing concerns over counterfeiting. Ba...