Pa. German Trivet c. 1938

Editor: We're looking at "Pa. German Trivet," a pencil and wood drawing made around 1938 by Herman Bader. The drawing depicts a carved trivet, which I find quite charming. It’s fascinating how folk art captures the essence of everyday life. What strikes you when you see it? Curator: It makes me think about circles, or rather, how cultures return to certain shapes. You see mandalas mirroring it, don't you? And the craft! Someone put their heart into that trivet. This drawing is a love letter to that craftsmanship, and I love seeing those skills honored through the careful details captured with pencil. What do you make of the placement of the objects? Editor: Now that you mention it, the trivet and the rendering feel staged. I thought they looked simply like illustrations; it didn’t cross my mind that maybe the layout conveys the way people viewed it. Do you think that's what the artist was attempting? Curator: It makes me wonder... Did Bader perhaps want us to reflect on the art of observation itself? The trivet might be symbolic; imagine the meals it has sat beneath. And is it mere folk art, or can function meet its own criteria to be art? Is it a metaphor of simpler, comforting, times? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. It’s a beautiful reminder to find art in the everyday, I suppose, but I like your idea better! Thanks so much for the insight! Curator: My pleasure! Art is always ready to surprise.