Candlestick Holder c. 1937

This drawing of a candlestick holder was made by Herman Bader, who lived a very long time, almost 140 years! I am really thinking about Bader's hand, holding what looks like a piece of charcoal, rendering light in the most tender way. He makes the candlestick glow from within. I love the careful gradations, which makes the ordinary utterly sublime. You know, the great thing about drawing is its modesty – just a stick of charcoal or graphite. Yet, through the hand of someone who lived through almost two centuries, it can capture the light of the world. I imagine him sitting there, quietly observing, lost in concentration, trying to get it just right. And in that process, he is talking to other artists who drew before him, responding to their work and adding to the conversation. How does this work change when it is drawn rather than seen as it is? I think it has changed profoundly, allowing for a more personal interaction with light and shadow.