The Prow 1917

Joseph Pennell made "The Prow" using lithographic crayon and ink, working dark to light, which is pretty standard for printmaking. Look at all the hatched marks! It's like a whole language of lines, each one carefully placed to create the illusion of depth, texture, and form. See how the dense, dark hatching around the ship's hull makes it feel heavy and solid, while the lighter, sparser lines on the water suggest its reflective surface? The materiality of the lithographic crayon adds a tactile quality. It feels like you could almost reach out and touch the rough surface of the ship or feel the coolness of the water. The repetition of small marks feels obsessive, dedicated. Pennell reminds me a little of Piranesi, another artist who was fascinated by industry. Both artists share a love for detail, and a certain melancholy romanticism. Art is really just a conversation across time, isn’t it?