-Get Rich Quick (registering)- still bank c. 1920 - 1930

Curator: This delightful piece, residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is called "Get Rich Quick (registering)- still bank", created by Louis Marx and Co. sometime between 1920 and 1930. It appears to be constructed primarily of metal and pigment. What's your first reaction to it? Editor: Well, first off, the colors are so vibrant, almost garish! It’s visually loud, demanding attention, and definitely speaks to the promises of quick wealth. There's something almost aggressively optimistic about it. Curator: Absolutely, and that aesthetic reflects a significant moment in American consumer culture. This bank wasn't just a container for savings; it was a lesson, almost a propaganda tool teaching financial discipline couched in the seductive language of instant success. It reinforces the relationship between banks and the communities. Editor: You're right; there’s this subtle power dynamic being established. The bank building depicted, grand and imposing, dwarfs the small figures walking by. It's a visual reminder of institutional power but simultaneously presents the bank as a cornerstone of American progress and community. Also, considering that era's limited financial education, such messaging must have significantly shaped public perception. Curator: Indeed. And that interplay between promise and practicality reveals so much about the economic landscape of the time. There's also the fascinating layer of who 'Marx Toys' was, and their intention with this ‘Get Rich Quick’ messaging on a children's toy during that period. Editor: Precisely! Think about the cultural impact, imprinting on children from a young age this relentless pursuit of wealth as some sort of patriotic goal! What a perfect encapsulation of America's complicated relationship with capitalism, isn't it? A tiny artifact loaded with symbolic weight. Curator: A visual encoding of aspirations, economic instruction, and the promise that wealth lies just around the corner. Seeing the layers unfold allows for new questions about economic ideals for children in American life. Editor: A compelling blend of historical critique and aesthetic appreciation –exactly the lens through which to approach an object so deceptively simple.