Poletti reimagines Bosch, Bruegel around money, Nixon's 1971 decree

The visual tradition of old masters is experiencing a resurgence among artists focused on Bitcoin, as Lucho Poletti reimagines works by Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder around themes of money.

This artistic trend follows a significant monetary event: on August 15, 1971, Richard Nixon announced that he had directed Treasury Secretary John Connally "to suspend temporarily the convertibility of the dollar into gold." This suspension remains in effect.

Poletti began unveiling his series of ten drawings responding to that 1971 decree exactly fifty-five years later. These pieces draw inspiration from the era when Bosch and Bruegel created their art, amidst expanding banking and speculation in centers like Antwerp.

The series, titled *Ten Decrees: Old Masters, New Money*, uses Latin as its organizing principle, with nine titles issuing commands such as "let there be fury, profit, chaff, a game, folly, hunger, refuge, collapse, and ash." The final title, *Ultima Fiat*, reverses this authority with the directive: "let it be the last."

Poletti explained this choice of language: "Fiat was never a noun. In Latin it’s a verb, 'let it be done.'" He notes that this verb form mirrors how fiat money originates, adding that "Fiat Lucrum, Ultima Fiat and Furia Fiat had their names before the series did."

The works, which feature hundreds of figures, are released biweekly, starting August 29 and concluding January 3, 2027, marking the anniversary of Bitcoin’s Genesis Block. These 30-by-20-inch prints are produced in editions of ten, forming a composition roughly four meters wide when displayed in two rows of five.

When discussing the visual language, Poletti stated, "The words carry the message so the people don’t have to." In his work, he merges the detailed compositions of the old masters with a sharper critique of the financial system.

In one piece, *Fiat Lucrum*, Poletti introduces plumbing to Bosch’s garden, likening the inspection window in a reservoir to "every full node on the Bitcoin network." This illustrates how "Monetary policy gets set by someone who isn’t at the party."

Why it matters

This art project connects historical monetary crises, like Nixon's 1971 decree, to modern crypto themes. Readers should watch this series as it visually explores the societal impact of fiat currency versus decentralized systems.