Drawer Pull c. 1936

Editor: This is "Drawer Pull," a drawing in pencil and watercolor created around 1936 by Janet Riza. The image renders what seems to be a brass drawer pull in two views: head-on and from the side. I'm struck by how delicate and precise the rendering is. What’s your read on this drawing? Curator: Ah, yes. A humble object elevated. It feels as though Riza isn't simply documenting an object, but breathing life into it. I love how she captured the light playing on the brass; you can almost feel the cool smoothness of the metal. Makes me think about all the hands that might have touched a drawer pull like this, all the stories held within the drawers behind it. Editor: So it’s more than just a technical study? Curator: Precisely! Notice the details – the tiny floral designs surrounding the circular plate. There’s a decorative flourish that suggests a yearning for beauty even in the most functional aspects of everyday life. Almost like whispering a little poem into the mundane. What feelings arise as you gaze upon it? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the emotional aspect. Now I am seeing the drawing has a lot more intention to elevate something common as beautiful. Curator: Isn't that marvelous? Riza transforms the ordinary. Who knew a drawer pull could be a meditation on craft, memory, and beauty? I also admire that level of refinement applied to a tool. Editor: It’s almost like she's revealing the soul of this object. Curator: Yes! Finding significance in the simplest of things! I must say, it makes me want to sketch the doorknob of my home now.