Man seated on bag still bank c. 19th century

This small, anonymous sculpture is a ‘still bank’ -likely made of ceramic- depicting a man seated on what appears to be a bag. Objects like this, while seemingly innocuous, offer a window into the socio-economic dynamics of their time. Who was this man? Is he a worker, guarding his wages? Or perhaps a merchant, carefully watching his profits? His posture, hunched over his bag, suggests themes of labor, value, and possibly anxiety. The man's clothing and features also invite questions about identity and representation, class and perhaps even ethnic stereotypes. Given that such banks were often given to children, we should consider the lessons being taught through such an object. What does it mean to instill a sense of economic prudence -or even acquisitiveness- from such a young age? Consider the dual nature of this object: it's a simple toy, but also a cultural artifact that reflects and reinforces societal values around labor, money, and identity. The man and his bag thus become a canvas upon which we can explore our own relationship with capital and the social structures it upholds.