Toy Bank: Figure with Mule c. 1937

Chris Makrenos made this painting of a toy bank – complete with a figure and mule – sometime in the 20th century. The paint handling here feels so straightforward. I can imagine the artist patiently building the scene in layers, working hard to capture a likeness of the original toy. I wonder, what was Makrenos thinking as he made this? It looks like the kind of painting that emerges from a place of sustained looking. The matte surface and muted tones create an unassuming atmosphere, as if the artist’s intention was simply to record the object before him. But there’s also something dreamlike in the image. It reminds me of work by other painters who were interested in American folk art. Like other artists, Makrenos was surely in conversation with painters of the past as he developed his own artistic vision. Painting helps us see the world in different ways, one layer at a time.