Man Ray (1890-1976)

Artists from the time of Leonardo to the present have appreciated the beauty of mechanical drawings. The cleanly inked ruling pen lines, pencil notations, and corrections on this 1946 Series III Wood Chess Set Design Drawing provide a fascinating insight into Man Ray's creative design process. At Boys' High School in Brooklyn the young artist studied freehand and mechanical drawing focusing on plan, elevation, and section drawing, essential for architectural draftsmen. These skills would later enable him to produce precise, dimensioned drawings, such as this one, which enabled machinists to produce accurate editions in wood and metal of his ideas. A photo-static copy of this exact drawing (private collection) shows how Man Ray would continue to copy and refine forms to explore possible variations.

By solidly inking-in silhouettes of the Knight, Pawn and Queen, Man Ray created a striking graphic composition while conveying the measurements and proportions necessary to produce his 1946 Series III Wood Chess Set edition. Popular among the arts and culture community, one of the edition of ten chess sets made from this drawing was owned by famed jazz musician Artie Shaw.

Andrew Strauss and Timothy Baum of the Man Ray Expertise Committee have confirmed the authenticity of this work and that it will be included in the catalogue raisonné of the Works on Paper of Man Ray, currently in preparation.