-Milking Cow- mechanical bank c. 1888

E. Stevens created this -Milking Cow- mechanical bank from cast iron. The vivid contrast of red, green and yellow, against a neutral backdrop, immediately strikes the eye. The sculpture is arranged with a central figure, the red cow, dominating the composition, its mechanical function subtly integrated via a visible screw. The toy rests on ornate, golden feet which add an ironic touch to the rural scene. The white fence creates a geometric backdrop, further underscoring the tension between the natural and constructed. The artwork prompts questions about industrialization and its impact on agrarian life. How does this object invite us to reconsider the pastoral idyll through the lens of mechanical progress and mass production? Consider how such an object, designed for childhood play, served to instill early capitalist values, intertwining leisure with the logic of investment and return. The bright colors and simplified forms may initially appear playful, yet they subtly introduce complex themes, reflecting the intertwined relationship between form, function, and ideology.