Turning Heads. Coining a Fashion

Coins are among the smallest portraits in the world. These masterpieces of miniature art show busts or faces of prominent individuals in amazing detail and usually in profile. In many cases, the diminutive nature of the coin portraits necessitates the use of highly symbolic visual imagery. Yet, the hairstyles, clothes and accessories are more than just aesthetic embellishments, they reflect the zeitgeist and offer a window into the culture of ages past.

The exhibition Turning Heads (Kopf & Kragen) presents over a hundred numismatic portraits from a cultural and historical perspective, casting light on fashion and lifestyle from several millennia.