bavarikon4UAllegorical depictions of the economy
Allegories are pictorial representations of abstract concepts, frequently in the form of a personification. When paper money began to establish itself in the 19th century, this stylistic device was often used to decorate banknotes. Allegories and personifications of individual economic sectors were particularly popular.
While Latin American banknote design in the 19th century was closely oriented towards European models, the designers in the 20th century increasingly set their own course when it came to allegorical depictions. Attributes and backgrounds were used to highlight the economic sectors that were of particular importance to Latin America.
