Temporary exhibition
Money, Faith and Politics: coins and medals from the Vatican
From November 12 2020 to September 19
For more informations contact us at info@museudodinheiro.pt or +351 213 213 240
The dialogue between the objects of the Vatican Library, Banco de Portugal and those of several Portuguese collections suggested four great subjects that embody an historically discontinuous but stimulating journey: money in the world of the Gospels, the coin issues of the Holy See, the political and diplomatic relations between Portugal and the Holy See and finally the role of coins and medals in the urban munificence of popes and kings.
Money, faith and politics are inescapable areas of both individual and collective existence. They account for some of the most powerful motivations of human agency. As history shows, the combination between money, religion and power — an alternative formulation of the initial triad — was able to generate the most remarkable, but also the most terrible achievements. In fact, it’s not without reason that people say ‘money is power’ and talk about the ’power of faith’.
The possibility of exhibiting coins and medals from the outstanding collection of the Vatican Apostolic Library created a special opportunity to reflect upon the interaction of these three dimensions. Unsurprisingly, Portugal and the Holy See will be in the spotlight.
The dialogue between the objects of the Vatican Library, Banco de Portugal and those of several Portuguese collections suggested four great subjects that embody an historically discontinuous but stimulating journey: money in the world of the Gospels, the coin issues of the Holy See, the political and diplomatic relations between Portugal and the Holy See and finally the role of coins and medals in the urban munificence of popes and kings.
The present exhibition is the fulfilment of a project originally scheduled for April 2020. The difficult situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic forced the temporary suspension of the venture. However, thanks to the joint effort of all involved entities, it is now possible to bring before the public a unique journey about coins in their historical relation with religion and power.
The Money Museum - Bank of Portugal would like to thank especially to José Tolentino Mendonça, the main promoter of this project, a personality of Portuguese culture, Cardinal of the Holy See and Director of the Vatican Apostolic Library, with whom this exhibition is organized.
Temporary exhibition
Money, Faith and Politics: coins and medals from the Vatican
From November 12 2020 to September 19
For more informations contact us at info@museudodinheiro.pt or +351 213 213 240
The dialogue between the objects of the Vatican Library, Banco de Portugal and those of several Portuguese collections suggested four great subjects that embody an historically discontinuous but stimulating journey: money in the world of the Gospels, the coin issues of the Holy See, the political and diplomatic relations between Portugal and the Holy See and finally the role of coins and medals in the urban munificence of popes and kings.
Money, faith and politics are inescapable areas of both individual and collective existence. They account for some of the most powerful motivations of human agency. As history shows, the combination between money, religion and power — an alternative formulation of the initial triad — was able to generate the most remarkable, but also the most terrible achievements. In fact, it’s not without reason that people say ‘money is power’ and talk about the ’power of faith’.
The possibility of exhibiting coins and medals from the outstanding collection of the Vatican Apostolic Library created a special opportunity to reflect upon the interaction of these three dimensions. Unsurprisingly, Portugal and the Holy See will be in the spotlight.
The dialogue between the objects of the Vatican Library, Banco de Portugal and those of several Portuguese collections suggested four great subjects that embody an historically discontinuous but stimulating journey: money in the world of the Gospels, the coin issues of the Holy See, the political and diplomatic relations between Portugal and the Holy See and finally the role of coins and medals in the urban munificence of popes and kings.
The present exhibition is the fulfilment of a project originally scheduled for April 2020. The difficult situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic forced the temporary suspension of the venture. However, thanks to the joint effort of all involved entities, it is now possible to bring before the public a unique journey about coins in their historical relation with religion and power.
The Money Museum - Bank of Portugal would like to thank especially to José Tolentino Mendonça, the main promoter of this project, a personality of Portuguese culture, Cardinal of the Holy See and Director of the Vatican Apostolic Library, with whom this exhibition is organized.
History of papal coinage
Join us to know some of the coins and medals of the room dedicated to papal coinage, and discover how the popes, inspired by the Romans, immortalized in their coins and medals some of their most important acts.
Foundational ceremonies and urbanism
In the room dedicated to foundational ceremonies and urbanism discover coins and medals representative of the act of laying the first stone, the consecration of a building, the deposit of objects in the foundations of a new construction.
Money and the world of the gospels
Based on the synoptic Gospels and the currencies circulating at the time, we show in the room the way in which money, religion and politics overlapped in the world when Christianity was born.
Portugal and the Holy See
Exploring this room and coming in contact with coins, medals, documents and also works of art, we go through several episodes that marked Portugal's relationship with the Holy See, from the nation’s birth to the event of Fátima.
Exhibition credits
Exhibition promoted by
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Museu do Dinheiro - Departamento de Comunicação e Museu/Banco de Portugal
Project management
Museu do Dinheiro - Departamento de Comunicação e Museu/Banco de Portugal
Scientific board and curatorship
João Pedro Vieira – Museu/Banco de Portugal
Margarida Sampayo – Museu/Banco de Portugal
Eleonora Giampiccolo – Biblioteca Apostólica Vaticana
Communication and museography project
João Camacho
Departamento de Comunicação e Museu – Banco de Portugal
Transports
Arteria (Italia)
Iterartis (Portugal)
Insurance
Assicurazioni Generali
Axa
Installation and production assistance
Artinvento, Estudos e Projetos, Lda.
Jesus Cardoso, Lda.
Departamento de Serviços de Apoio - Banco de Portugal
Acknowledgments
Adalgisa Ottaviani – Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Giancarlo Alteri – Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Lenders to the exhibition
Arquivo Diplomático - Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros (AHD)
Arquivo Distrital de Braga – Universidade do Minho (ADB)
Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo (ANTT)
Biblioteca da Assembleia da República (AR)
Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (BNP)
Museu de Artes Decorativas – Fundação Ricardo Espírito Santo Silva (FRESS)
Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda (INCM)
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian – Coleção do Fundador
Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (MNA)
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA)
Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro (MNMC)
Palácio Nacional de Mafra
BANCO DE PORTUGAL TEAM | COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AND MUSEUM
MUSEUM
Ana Rita Canavarro
Coordination
Daniela Viela
Educational service, mediation and front house
João Pedro Vieira
Collection study and conservation
Manuel Ribeiro
Equipment, exhibition and graphic design
Margarida Sampayo
Mediation, digital platforms and exhibition production
Maria Cristina Domingues
IT and events
DESIGN
Catarina Gomes
Coordination. Editorial, graphic and infographic design
Manuel Farinha
Photography
Patricia Serrazino
Editorial, graphic and exhibition design
Sofia Fonseca
Editorial and graphic design
Susana Vaz
Editorial and graphic design