Lines Meeting 1932

Pierre Dubreuil made this photograph of locks and keys, titled "Lines Meeting," sometime in the early 20th century. The image presents a fascinating meditation on the themes of security, privacy, and restriction. In a society increasingly concerned with property rights and personal space, the lock becomes a potent symbol of control and exclusion. Notice how the artist plays with light and shadow to emphasize the geometric forms and textures of the locks, elevating these mundane objects to a level of abstraction. Dubreuil was a French photographer, so to understand this work further, one could investigate the ways the French legal system evolved during the early 20th century, to determine how the artist might be commenting on changing social attitudes. A good place to start with this would be a law library. Ultimately, the meaning of this photograph remains open to interpretation, contingent on the social and institutional contexts that shape our understanding.