-Bear Stealing Pig- still bank c. 20th century

This still bank, depicting a bear stealing a pig, was made by an anonymous artist. I love how the form has been built up, you can almost imagine the process of adding and subtracting material, feeling the weight of the metal in your hands. Looking closely, the surface is alive with detail. The bear’s fur is suggested by rough, etched lines, while the pig seems smoother, more vulnerable in its would-be predator’s grasp. The colour is uniform, a kind of antique bronze, but there are subtle gradations where light catches the raised surfaces. Look at the bear's snout, see how the texture is so smooth. This piece has a naive charm, the figures are simplified, slightly cartoonish, but this only adds to its appeal. It reminds me of the work of Red Grooms, another artist who embraces the playful and the absurd. Art is, after all, a conversation. A back-and-forth. A bear stealing a pig! What will they think of next?