Cast Iron Gate and Fence c. 1936

Al Curry, born in 1855, rendered this drawing of a "Cast Iron Gate and Fence" with ink on paper, documenting a form of architectural detail that speaks to class and identity. The iron gate, a physical barrier, is a potent symbol of the divisions within society. The decorative posts and intricate ironwork, capped with gas lamps, denote wealth and status, demarcating private property and creating a visual language of exclusivity. What does it mean to lay claim to space? For whom is it welcoming, and for whom is it not? The gate stands as a threshold, simultaneously inviting entry and enforcing exclusion. As we look closer, we can ponder the labor required to produce this work. Whose hands shaped the iron, and what were their lives like? These gates served not only to protect property but also to visually assert the social hierarchy of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Curry's drawing encourages us to consider the ways in which architecture and design reflect and perpetuate societal structures.