Fedinand A Brader (1833-after 1870)
Residence of Jacob Brumbaugh. Lake TP: Stark County Ohio 1887
Signed F. A. Brader #541
Pencil on paper with original frame
27 x 38 inches

Ferdinand A. Brader was an itinerant artist and known for his large detailed pencil drawings of farms and other dwellings in Pennsylvania and Ohio during the third quarter of the 19 th century. He was born in Switzerland in 1833 and migrated to the United States sometime around 1870.
His pencil drawings of farms and houses were done while he was in Pennsylvania as early as 1876, and he completed some 300 pieces.
His Ohio drawings first appeared in1879, and Brader continued to draw until about 1895. The vast majority of his Ohio drawings were done in Stark and Portage Counties. Brader completed some 980 works indicated by his numbering system.

There have been two exhibitions of Brader's works. In October 1986, an exhibition was held in Reading, Pennsylvania at the Historical Society of Berks County, Inc. This showing was entitled, "Brader in Berks, 1880-1883". This exhibition showed 16 of Brader's pictures both from Pennsylvania and Ohio. A catalog was produced with the same title. In 1991 the Massillon Museum, in Massillon, Ohio organized an Exhibition of Ohio Drawings. This exhibition was entitled "F.A. Brader, The Ohio Drawings". It ran from January 20, 1991 through March 3, 1991 but no catalog was produced.
Ferdinand A. Brader's drawings can be found in the collections of The Canton Museum of Art, Canton, Ohio 2); The William McKinley Museum & Library, Canton, Ohio(8); The Massillon Museum, Massillon,Ohio (1); The Portage County Historical Society, Ravenna, Ohio(1);, The Carroll Co. Historical Society (Algonquin Mill), Carrollton, Oh(1).

In Pennsylvania Brader's drawings can be found at the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster, PA. (2); The Historical Society of Berks County in Reading, PA.(5); Historic Schaefferstown Inc in Schaeffertown and The Library Company of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA(1).
The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, IL (1); The Metropolitan Museum, New York City(1) and the American Museum of Folk Art, New York City(1) all have examples in their collections as well. The drawings from both the Chicago Art Institute and the Metropolitan Museum can be seen on their web site. There are also numerous examples in private collections around the country.

This drawing is a special example, being of small usable size, and in perfect unstained condition, which is very uncommon for his works. Additionally, the scene depicts desirable farm animals, a windmill, a horse and buggy, and two ladies walking, as well as many buildings.