Handcuffs with One Key c. 1936

Cornelius Frazier made this drawing of Handcuffs with One Key, using graphite and watercolor. The linear precision and muted tones give it a kind of quiet intensity. Look closely, and you'll notice the way the light catches on the key. There's a subtle warmth, a hint of gold, that contrasts with the cool grey of the cuffs. Frazier's attention to these details is what makes the drawing so compelling. The surface has a delicate, almost ethereal quality. The washes of color are so thin and transparent they feel like whispers. In the upper corners, the schematic diagrams of the key remind me of a kind of formal exercise or visual note taking. It's like he's trying to understand the object from every possible angle. This drawing reminds me of the work of Vija Celmins who also focuses on the minute details of objects, rendering them with a similar precision and care. Both artists show us that even the most mundane objects can be a source of endless fascination.