Artwork
One Dollar Silver Certificate
One Dollar Silver Certificate is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Victor Dubreuil. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Trompe l’oeil replications—albeit on canvas or board rather than paper—aroused suspicion among government officials.
Having worked as a bank clerk in Paris, Victor Dubreuil moved to the United States in 1882, possibly to escape charges that he had stolen money from his employer. In New York he established himself as an artist, specializing in ultra-illusionistic depictions of currency: some elaborate in composition while others more restrained, such as One Dollar Silver Certificate . In the late 19th century, counterfeiting of legal tender was a widespread problem. Trompe l’oeil replications—albeit on canvas or board rather than paper—aroused suspicion among government officials. At least two of Dubreuil’s paintings on public view were confiscated by the Secret Service in the 1890s.
History & Provenance
New York, Kennedy Galleries, Summits III: American Master Paintings, Drawings and Prints, Oct. 21–Nov. 28, 1987, cat. 15.
Artist & collection
Artist
Victor Dubreuil was a French–American artist known for his trompe l'oeil paintings of money.
