History of Money Study

Helena Hernmarck

1997

Wool

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This is a preparatory study for a larger work commissioned by Chase Bank (now JP Morgan Chase Bank) in Wilmington, Delaware, which presents a visual history of currency. The red and yellow fragment offers a glimpse of a New Jersey six-pound note issued in 1776, when the region was still under British rule. Doing her research for this project, Helena Hernmarck was surprised to learn that Sweden was the first European country to adopt banknotes, an early form of paper money. The notes were issued in 1661 by Stockholms Banco. Gallery Not on View Gift of Helena M. Hernmarck