-Monkey on Box- still bank c. 1929

This little sculpture of a monkey on a box, a still bank, was made anonymously. You can see and feel the marks made in the clay, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I can imagine the artist, maybe they were thinking of a beloved childhood toy, or an illustration from a storybook, when they made it. The paint is thick, textured, almost crusty, giving it this charming, almost antique feel. The monkey's posture, sitting with its arm dangling so casually, it gives me the feeling that he is guarding his treasures! And, I mean, who wouldn't want to protect their box of gold? I can't help but wonder, did the artist have a similar box when they were young, filled with their own precious trinkets? There is so much conversation between artists from one to the next, and it's like everyone inspires each other's creativity over time. The sculpture is an embodiment of expression which embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning.