Weather Vane
c. 1937
Medium
graphite on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 29.1 x 22.5 cm (11 7/16 x 8 7/8 in.) Original IAD Object: 18 1/4" long
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.16146
Art Historical Context
**Weather Vane** *Graphite on paperboard by Herman Bader, c 1937* *National Gallery of Art Index of American Design* delicate graphite drawing by Herman B captures the form of a traditional American weather, measuring 29.1 x 22.5 cm overall. Rendered with precise pencil strokes on paperboard it meticulously documents an original object originally 18 1/4 inches long. Weatheres like this one were essential fixtures on barns, homes, and public buildings across colonial and early America, pivoting with the wind to indicate direction while often showcasing whimsical motifs such as roosters, s...
About the Artist
Herman Bader
Herman Bader is an artist whose life and career are poorly documented in existing historical sources. No birth or death dates have been confirmed, and his nationality or place of work remains uncertain, leaving significant gaps in any account of his development as an artist. The body of work attributed to Bader, preserved in collections, suggests he was a productive figure in his era. His artisti...