Drawer Pull c. 1936

Janet Riza’s drawing of a drawer pull, done at an unknown date, is a quiet study in utility and form. I imagine Riza, focused, making the ordinary gleam. Look how the object sits on the page—a drawing of a golden drawer pull, seen from two angles. The details, rendered with such precision, communicate a sense of care. I can almost feel the cool, smooth metal beneath my fingertips. The paint is thin, delicately layered to capture the subtle gradations of light and shadow. The circular face of the drawer pull feels like a tiny sun. Doesn't it remind you of those technical drawings by Leonardo? I wonder if he, too, found beauty in the mundane. Painters are always looking, always transforming what they see. Janet Riza has given us a chance to pause and appreciate the understated elegance of everyday things. It's a reminder that everything has its own intrinsic beauty, if only we take the time to see it.