Bandbox c. 1939

Gilbert Sackerman, born in 1855, painted this bandbox. A bandbox was a light cardboard box used to store and transport hats, bonnets, collars, and other accessories. In the nineteenth century, the rise of consumer culture and industrialization made fashion and personal adornment more accessible to a broader population, leading to a growing demand for specialized storage like bandboxes. These boxes frequently bore colorful designs, reflecting popular tastes and serving as decorative objects in their own right. What stories might this bandbox hold? Whose dreams and aspirations were carried within? Sackerman’s painting provides us with an intimate glimpse into an object that once held a central place in everyday life, reminding us of the intersection between art, craft, and personal identity.