-Lincoln's Cabin- still bank c. 20th century

Curator: Before us, we have "-Lincoln's Cabin- still bank," an earthenware and ceramic sculpture that dates back to the 20th century, residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Oh, my! Isn’t it quaint? Immediately, I'm transported. It’s as if a tiny piece of frontier Americana has landed right in front of me, glossy glaze and all. I want to deposit a shiny penny inside and wish for a simpler time. Curator: Indeed. Note the craftsmanship evident in the piece. The artist’s dedication to detail, from the individually rendered logs to the suggestion of mortar in the chimney, suggests a deliberate engagement with realism within the constraints of folk art. Editor: Realism, maybe... but with a wink, don't you think? The almost cartoonish shine of that glaze, the rounded edges—it feels like someone’s fond, perhaps slightly exaggerated, memory of a cabin rather than a truly accurate depiction. Curator: One can appreciate the deliberate stylization, which avoids the literal to embrace the evocative. The repetition of form and line, particularly in the roofing and log construction, creates a visual rhythm. Editor: And the color! That warm, treacly brown reminds me of molasses cookies and crackling fires. It gives off such a cozy feeling! I'd have expected something starker, more in tune with the hardships, yet it offers a very comfortable mood. It almost romanticizes it. Curator: Consider the implications of a "still bank" format. By integrating function with form, the object invites interaction and imbues utilitarian purpose with artistic merit, inviting critical contemplation of materiality within financial paradigms. Editor: Good point. In practical use it becomes a reminder—to save, to build one’s own home, perhaps. Very “American dream,” really, boiled down to a glazed little cabin. Curator: Precisely. It encapsulates enduring themes: heritage, perseverance, and self-reliance as virtues. Editor: All tucked inside a delightfully shiny, collectable package. It certainly stays with you, doesn’t it? Such a potent symbol in such an adorable size.