-Monkey Tips Hat- mechanical bank c. 1945

The J. Chein & Company made this "Monkey Tips Hat" mechanical bank, and what strikes me first is the economy of its making. It’s all in the surface, right? This isn’t some deep illusionistic space, but a flat, bright, graphic thing. Look at the way the red and orange clash and vibrate, a bold, almost cartoonish rendering. It is a printed image, yet the details of the monkey’s face suggest the illusion of depth. It creates a visual game, a play between surface and depth. This push and pull reminds me of Elizabeth Murray's sculptural paintings, where she also teases our perception of space. Like Murray, J. Chein & Company knows how to make a surface sing! Ultimately, it’s this simplicity that gives the work its charm, its ability to speak across time.