Wrought Iron Door c. 1936

Ray Price made this drawing of a Wrought Iron Door, but we don't know when or where! Just the idea of it, maybe, hatched with delicate strokes that describe the shapes of things, and also make the paper itself feel more real. Look how the lines create a play of light and shadow, giving depth to the ironwork and the wooden frame around it. See how the repeated curves of the ironwork create a sense of movement, like vines growing or water flowing? It's all about how the artist coaxes the medium, in this case pen on paper, to suggest texture, weight, and form. The small hinges on the left suggest the door could be opened and closed, that this image represents an aperture, a moment of transition. It reminds me of Piranesi's architectural fantasies, though more modest and intimate. Ultimately, it's a drawing that celebrates the beauty found in the everyday, in the functional, and maybe even the forgotten.