Latch from Mission c. 1939

Cornelius Christoffels made this watercolor of a latch, from Mission, sometime in the mid twentieth century. Look at these delicate browns and beiges, a quiet palette. It feels like an exercise in subtle variations of tone. What gets me is how carefully he’s rendered the texture of the metal, the way the light catches on the little irregularities and makes it feel so real. You can almost feel the coolness of the metal. I'm particularly drawn to the triangular patterning on the horizontal bar, it reminds me of folk art, and its amazing how one subtle element can change the whole feel of a picture. This piece reminds me a bit of the work of Charles Sheeler; he was interested in depicting vernacular architecture and objects. But, where Sheeler went for clean lines and sharp focus, Christoffels embraces a kind of quiet intimacy. It's a simple, humble subject, but it's been rendered with such care and attention. There is something really beautiful about that.