Voices from the Engraver

23 November 2014 - 30 November 2017

This exhibition allowed visitors to experience the creative process, the technical skill and the sheer artistry that underlies every series of Canadian stamps and bank notes, from concept to final product. Original art, printing plates, videos, interactives, rare stamps, and money—lots of money—awaited visitors in this fun, informative and enriching look into the beauty and intricacy of Canadian stamps and bank notes.

Aimed at youth, families and adults, this exhibition was rich with artifacts and hands-on interactives and was accompanied by school and general programming. Visitors had the chance to design their own currency or stamps, reproduce the beautifully elaborate patterns of classic bank notes and browse through a millennium’s worth of engravers and engraving history

Produced in partnership with the Canadian Museum of History.

Video

Photo Gallery

Woman at touch panel

Visitors could swipe through the centuries of engraving and printing history on a large-format timeline touch panel.

Museum exhibit

Visitors could reflect on the way we commemorate history and how it has evolved.

Children at touch panel

Visitors explored the biographies and interconnections of engravers past and present on a touch panel interactive.

Museum exhibit

Every stage of an award-winning bank note design was presented.

Museum interactive unit

Visitors created their own guilloche patterns on our hypotrochoid (similar to Spirograph©) drawing station.

Children with paper

Visitors took home their guilloche creations.

Printing plate

Visitors were able to inspect the nuances of a printing plate.

Money on display

Visitors could browse through a great assortment of Canadian bank notes and stamps.

Printing plate

A hand-engraved plate was displayed alongside its printed result.

engraving tools

The tools of the engraver were displayed in detail.

Enlarged postage stamp

Visitors were given got the fascinating story behind Canada’s first stamp.

Bank notes and stamps

Visitors compared the ever-changing iconography of Canadian stamps and bank notes.