Firemark 1935 - 1942

Herman Bader made this drawing, Firemark, with graphite on paper sometime in the 20th century, though there’s no exact date. Bader seems to have taken great care in building up the image, layering graphite to create subtle gradations of tone. This meticulous process reminds me of printmaking, where the image emerges gradually through repeated applications. The drawing depicts a firemark, a badge that once identified buildings insured against fire. Bader’s handling of the graphite creates a smooth, almost metallic surface. The details of the building, with its columns and statues, are rendered with precision. It’s really interesting how the texture of the paper shows through in places, adding a tactile quality to the image. Look at the crown at the top, how it sits, weighty but precise, atop the building. Bader, as an artist, has a lot in common with someone like Joseph Cornell, both finding beauty and meaning in everyday objects. There's a quiet intensity in this drawing, a kind of reverence for the past.