1 Nevada Goldback

Description

One Nevada Goldback – Caritas (Charity)

The virtue of Caritas, or Charity, graces the design of Nevada’s 1 Goldback Denomination. Her depiction is inspired by an image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, found in St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Austin, Nevada. This church holds significance as the state’s oldest Catholic building, with Catholicism being the predominant religion in Nevada. The artwork, true to Goldback designs, is replete with symbolic imagery.

Major symbols associated with Charity in the design include the Sierra Nevada Lily, positioned below Mary’s feet to the right, and the Mary Magdalene Rose to her left. Cherubs crown Mary with burning hearts on either side. Charity’s lit candle, held in her hand, and the rising sun of Nevada through a window further accentuate the design.

Many design elements borrow inspiration from St. Mary of the Mountains Catholic Cathedral in Virginia City, which has now evolved into Saint Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church & Museum. These elements include the window, a candlestick on the window sill’s right corner, and the columns framing the design. Hidden within the artwork, below Mary’s dress, are the word “Love,” symbols of a square, compass, wagon wheel, and rosary beads. Observers will also notice an ash tree, representing Las Vegas’s status as the world’s wedding capital, and a family of ring-necked pheasants, symbolizing the nurturing and protection of a family.