-Boxer (or Bulldog)- still bank c. 1912 - 1928

This cast iron Boxer bank –or is it a Bulldog?– was made by the A.C. Williams Company, sometime in the early twentieth century. It's the kind of object that makes you think about art as a process, not just a product, because the original maker wasn’t so concerned with making a unique object. The worn texture of the metal has a lovely patina, the result of time and touch. I love how the simple, earthy palette of browns, reds, and greens gives the sculpture a sense of groundedness. The red collar is a particularly nice touch. If you look closely at the small green pads on his feet, you can almost imagine the original artist daubing them on, carefully but quickly, to complete the casting. There’s something so pleasing about the way this Boxer sits so patiently, almost like one of Elie Nadelman's simple bronze sculptures of animals. This piece isn’t trying to be a profound artistic statement but instead embraces the pleasure of something made for everyday use.