Game Box (For Poker Chips) c. 1939

This drawing of a game box, likely made by Francis Law Durand, is all about process. It's technical, precise, and the linework is so clean, like a blueprint. But look closer, and you'll see it's not just about function. It's like the artist is thinking aloud, working through how this object would come together. The texture of the paper gives it a warmth, a humanness that contrasts with the technicality. My eye is drawn to the screwless hinge detail, it's so precise, so considered, it tells a whole story about the care and attention that goes into making things. There's a playful element to this, in the same vein as some of Saul Steinberg’s architectural drawings, it’s a dance between representation and abstraction. Like many great works, this drawing suggests more than it resolves, so let your own imagination be part of its making!