-Cow- still bank c. 1920

This painted cast iron cow bank comes to us from A.C. Williams Company, though we don’t know exactly when it was made. Imagine the sensation of making this object, the texture of the iron, and the feel of the paint, gliding over the surface. It is a funny thing trying to make a cow. You’ve got to think about the essence of the cow itself. I can imagine the artist mulling over how to capture this big, lumbering animal in such small form. You’ve got to get the stance just right, the curve of the back, the droop of the udders. And then there’s the painting! Did they choose that golden colour to make her seem precious? Or maybe it was just the best way to make the cast iron look less…well, like cast iron? Painting and sculpture are constantly in dialogue, each informing the other. This cow, in its own way, adds to that conversation. I’m so glad to see it here today.