Silver Teapot 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have a drawing entitled “Silver Teapot,” made sometime between 1935 and 1942 by Herman Bader. It looks like it was made with pencil on paper, maybe even some watercolor was used. It’s rendered so realistically; it almost feels like a photograph! How would you interpret a piece like this? Art Historian: Well, first off, it's interesting to consider why Bader chose such a seemingly mundane object. We often think of art portraying grand historical events or powerful figures, but a teapot? This tells me something about the shifting role of art in society. In the mid-20th century, there's an increasing focus on the everyday, on the beauty and artistry to be found in the commonplace. Editor: That's true; it does kind of elevate a simple object. So, are you saying that it’s a commentary on the accessibility of art or a shift in what's considered worthy of artistic representation? Art Historian: Possibly both! The very act of meticulously rendering this teapot elevates it, gives it a significance it wouldn't ordinarily possess. And who was this teapot for? Who could afford such items, especially during a period marked by economic depression and then war? Editor: I hadn’t really considered the economic context of its creation and consumption. Do you think it was made for a specific commission, or more of an artistic study? Art Historian: It’s hard to say definitively without more information. It might have served as a model for an advertisement or catalog illustration, or indeed as you suggested it could have just been an artistic exploration. But whatever its original intent, it reflects a broader trend of artists engaging with commercial culture and the domestic sphere, making art more integrated into everyday life, especially in public institutions and the growing middle classes. What do you take away from it now that we have been speaking? Editor: I’ll definitely look at seemingly simple still-life pieces with fresh eyes moving forward! It makes me more conscious of who is empowered and authorized to possess such objects.