"City Bank" Toy Bank c. 1938

This 'City Bank' toy bank was made by William O. Fletcher. Note the architectural details, these shapes evoke solidity and security, values we culturally associate with financial institutions. The bank's design incorporates classical elements: arches, columns, and symmetrical windows; features found in temples and civic buildings of ancient times. This visual language reappears in early Renaissance Italy with Brunelleschi’s architecture, designed to associate new institutions with the grandeur of the past. The grid motif of the windows, a symbol of order, echoes through history, finding its expression in minimalist art, like Agnes Martin's paintings. These artists also aimed to evoke a sense of meditative calm. The act of saving, framed within such symbolic architecture, taps into a deep psychological need for security. It reflects our subconscious desire for stability and permanence in an ever-changing world, manifesting across time and civilizations.