Gothic portal 

Peter Becker made this pencil drawing of a Gothic portal sometime in the 19th century. Graphite on paper: it's a simple combination, and a perfect medium for capturing the architectural details of Gothic design. Notice how the artist uses line work to suggest the textures of stone and wood. These lines mimic the labor of carving stone, and fitting wood together in elaborate patterns. Gothic architecture was all about aspiration, and technical mastery. It was hugely labor-intensive, requiring teams of stonemasons, carpenters, and other skilled workers. The drawing itself is a kind of labor, a translation of architectural ambition into a more humble, portable form. By focusing on the portal, Becker emphasizes entry and transition. Is this an invitation? A challenge? Like the original builders of Gothic cathedrals, he's asking us to consider the relationship between the earthly and the divine, the material and the spiritual, the work and the reward. It shows that even a simple drawing can embody complex ideas about making and meaning.