-Clown c. 1930s

This tin-plate “Clown” money bank, whose maker is unknown, has an almost ghostly affect. Look at that face, outlined in a sickly blue. The artist—or manufacturer—has taken their time, delicately printing the eyes with their longing lashes. But there is also the strange flatness of the clown’s features, the oddly-shaped mouth like a mechanical letterbox. You can see the artist searching for something, maybe the right kind of feeling, maybe a human quality. I can imagine them thinking, what kind of face can be both appealing and functional? The circular forms keep the image playful, the red nose sitting above the mouth, echoed by the spots below. I can sense a relationship between this anonymous creator and other, more famous, artists like Picasso, as if the bank is the result of conversations about making people feel. It’s not just decoration, you know?