: What is this woodcut / engraving like / illustrative design style called? (as seen on the US dollar sign) Where can I find books / references / inspirations to learn the principles behind these

@Ann6370331

The patterns you're talking about are guilloche :


Guilloché (or guilloche) is a decorative engraving technique in which
a very precise intricate repetitive pattern or design is mechanically
engraved into an underlying material. Specifically, it involves a
technique of engine turning, using a machine of the same name, also
called a rose engine lathe. This improved upon the more time-consuming
practice of making similar designs by hand and allowed for greater
delicacy, precision, and closeness of the line, as well as greater
speed.


Historically, in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article:


GUILLOCHE, a French word for an ornament, either painted or carved,
which was one of the principal decorative bands employed by the Greeks
in their temples or on their vases. Guilloches are single, double or
triple; they consist of a series of circles equidistant one from the
other and enclosed in a band which winds round them and interlaces.
This guilloche is of Asiatic origin and was largely employed in the
decoration of the Assyrian palaces, where it was probably copied from
Chaldean work, as there is an early example at Erech, which dates from
the time of Gudea (2294 B.C.). The ornament as painted by the Greeks
has almost entirely disappeared, but traces are found in the temple of
Nemesis at Rhamnus; and on the terra-cotta slabs by which the timber
roofs of Greek temples were protected, it is painted in colours which
are almost as brilliant when first produced, those of the Treasury of
Gela at Olympia being of great beauty. These examples are double
guilloches, with two rows of circles. In the triple guilloche, the
centre row of circles comes half-way between the others, and the
enclosing band crosses diagonally both ways, lacing alternately. The
best example of the triple guilloche is that which is carved on the
torus moulding of the base and on the small convex moulding above the
echinus of the capitals of the columns of the Erechtheum at Athens. It
was largely employed in Roman work, and the single guilloche is found
almost universally as a border in mosaic pavements, not only in Italy
but throughout Europe. In the Renaissance in Italy it was also a
favourite enrichment for borders and occasionally in France and
England.

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@RJPawlick971

As for the 'style' you see on printed US Currency, that is engraving. It's more of a technique than anything. See the answer here.

That said, the samples show aren't all engraving. A few borrow (namely 'A' monogram) but you have other techniques and styles going on.

The first two are just decorative illustrations. They are evocative of a lot of late 1800's style advertising.

The 3rd we discussed, and is the closest to engraving.

The 4th is emulating hand lettering--specifically gold plated signage. Also something you say a lot of in the late 1800s into the 1900s. It was traditionally done in gold leaf and paint on glass. There's also decorative type swashes included.

The last is physically embossing (raised decoration) and stylistically perhaps best described as 'playing card style'.

I wouldn't call any of the styles shown as 'woodcut'. That's perhaps related, but tends to have a bit of a different aesthetic.

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