-Basket Bank c. 1902

This little bank basket of copper and bronze tones was made by Charles A. Braun. I am imagining Braun in his studio with a basket in front of him, trying to render the look of the real thing in metal, using traditional casting methods. It's lovely how the basket weave is suggested, but not actually woven. The painted copper and bronze tones look as if it has been sitting around for ages, gathering dust and a rich patina. This almost trompe l'oeil basket reminds me of other artists playing with the idea of representing everyday objects, like Jasper John's bronze ale cans. It’s like Braun is asking us: What is more valuable, the object itself, or its representation? Is it meant to hold coins or simply to catch our eye and make us ponder?