Proofs of Bank of New York One Dollar Bill and Two Dollar Bill
Medium
Engraving; proof
Dimensions
each image: 3 1/8 x 11/16 in. (7.9 x 1.8 cm) sheet: 2 1/2 x 9 5/8 in. (6.3 x 24.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Joseph Veach Noble, 2002
Accession Number
2002.333.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
These delicate engraving proofs, created between 1824 and 1837 by A. B. & C. Durand & Company, represent the intricate work of Asher Brown Durand and his brother Cyrus in producing currency for the Bank of New York. Measuring just a few inches across, the one- and two-dollar bill designs showcase the fine-line engraving techniques essential for early American paper money. Such proofs allowed printers to inspect the quality and security features before the notes entered circulation. In the decades before a unified U.S. currency, individual banks issued their own notes, making skilled engravers...
About the Artist
A. B. & C. Durand & Company|Asher Brown Durand|Cyrus Durand (American|American|American) · 1824 |1796 |1787 –1832 |1886 |1868
American, active 1824–32|American, Jefferson, New Jersey 1796–1886 Maplewood, New Jersey|American, 1787–1868