Money Bank c. 1938

Nicholas Amantea made this watercolor drawing of a ‘Money Bank’ sometime in the 20th century. I love the way he’s captured the object's form, with those soft blue details dancing on the surface, making it feel like a dream of a money box. It looks so modest and folksy. I imagine Amantea carefully observing the light as it hits the curves, trying to distill the essence of the object. I bet Amantea was thinking about the simple beauty of everyday objects. Maybe he was inspired by the folk art tradition, those anonymous artists who poured their heart into making things both useful and beautiful. It reminds me a bit of some outsider art I've seen, where the artist's vision is so pure and unfiltered. It’s a quiet piece, but it speaks volumes about the value we place on simple things and the stories they hold.