Artwork
One Dollar Silver Certificate
One Dollar Silver Certificate is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Victor Dubreuil. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Victor Dubreuil’s 1900 oil on canvas, titled One Dollar Silver Certificate, depicts a single United States silver certificate rendered with meticulous realism. The composition centers on a crumpled, folded bill, its surface marked by creases and shadows that convey a tactile sense of paper. The work resides in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a silver‑issued one‑dollar note, distinguished by the prominent eagle emblem and the inscription “United States of America” across its upper edge. By isolating the currency as a solitary object, Dubreuil invites contemplation of the materiality of money and its symbolic weight within American visual culture.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the piece employs a highly detailed, naturalistic approach. Dubreuil renders the bill’s texture through careful modeling of light and shadow, emphasizing the paper’s folds, creases, and the intricate feathering of the eagle. The handling of chiaroscuro enhances depth, while the precise brushwork captures the fine typography and ornamental elements of the certificate.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the twentieth century, the work reflects a period when silver certificates circulated as legal tender in the United States. After its completion, the painting entered private ownership before being acquired by the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains part of the museum’s American art holdings.
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