Cast Iron Gate Top 1938

J. Howard Iams made this drawing of a cast iron gate top, we think, sometime in the early 20th century. Look at how he uses delicate graphite marks to describe the ornate design, almost like he’s tracing the object. This technique is all about process, about seeing and recording. The drawing captures the texture and form of the ironwork. It’s amazing how he uses simple lines to convey the weight and solidity of the metal. Notice the area around the angel's wings, how the shading creates depth and a sense of volume. Iams focuses on the details, but he’s also thinking about the overall composition. It's as if the physicality of his medium, the pencil, becomes a metaphor for the materiality of the iron itself. The drawing reminds me a little of Charles Sheeler's precisionist drawings, where everyday objects are rendered with such clarity and detail that they become almost abstract. Ultimately, art is a language of exchange, isn’t it?