-Seated Cat with Soft Hair- still bank c. 1910s - 1920s

Editor: So this is *Seated Cat with Soft Hair - still bank*, made by the Arcade Manufacturing Company sometime in the 1910s or 20s. It’s a small sculpture, made of metal. I find the expression kind of charming, yet a bit unsettling. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: I see this piece not just as decorative art, but as a reflection of the socio-economic landscape of early 20th-century America. Mass-produced items like this bank democratized art and design, bringing them into everyday homes. Think about the changing roles of women during that era—were these savings banks aimed at children or perhaps women gaining more control over household finances? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn’t considered. I was just seeing a kitschy cat figurine. Curator: And that's a valid reaction. But consider also the "folk-art" tag; how does this mass-produced object relate to handcrafted folk traditions? Is it an appropriation, a continuation, or something else entirely? Perhaps a commentary on class. What do you make of the phrase 'soft hair'? Is that perhaps playing with stereotypes of class? Editor: Hmm, the ‘soft hair’ is interesting. I can see what you’re getting at regarding gender and class now – it makes me look at it very differently. Maybe the folksy form disguises more pointed commentary on money and societal roles? Curator: Precisely. Art, even seemingly simple decorative objects, can be powerful cultural documents if we examine their contexts and subtexts. Editor: I guess I need to work on viewing art through a critical lens, looking for those layers. Thanks!