Latch Plate c. 1936

Francis Law Durand made this drawing of a latch plate, sometime in the 20th century, using graphite on paper. It's so meticulous, so clean. I wonder if he liked drawing metal objects for their graphic quality, their solidity. Did he love metal? Or was this a task, a job? I can imagine him thinking about those little details. The weight of the metal. The shapes that metal can make. That handle looks like it would be cool to the touch. I think about how the surface can be scratched or smooth, and how the light would catch on it. The image has such a tactile feel. It's a reminder that drawing can be a way of really looking, really thinking about the world around us. Just like other artists are thinking about other artists' work.