Three Door Latches c. 1938

Al Curry, who lived a long life from 1855 to 1995, made this study of latches without indicating exactly when or how, but it looks like watercolour. Imagine him, bent over the paper. Here are three door latches, each carefully observed and rendered in muted tones. He's really looked at them! The artist emphasizes the weightiness of the metal, the way light catches on their surfaces. It’s easy to imagine these latches in use, securing doors in old houses or barns. I wonder what Curry was thinking about as he painted these? Was he interested in their function, their history, or their simple beauty? Or was he more focused on the textures of the metal? Maybe he was thinking of precisionist artists like Charles Sheeler. We see and feel the marks that have come together to create each object, marks that imply his deep consideration. Painters are always looking at each other's work. One thing leads to another, and Curry’s close study of three ordinary objects, transformed into art, might inspire someone else to look more carefully at the world around them.