St. Stephen's 1906

Curator: We’re looking at Joseph Pennell’s 1906 etching, "St. Stephen's," currently held here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: It’s so atmospheric! The sepia tones and soft focus give the impression of a memory, slightly faded but deeply felt. There's a definite sense of looming scale too. Curator: Absolutely. Pennell was a master etcher, and this piece beautifully illustrates his skill with the medium. The printmaking process allows him to capture not just the likeness of the building, but the very feel of London at the turn of the century. Think about the symbolism inherent in St. Stephen's itself—a place of worship nestled in the heart of the financial district, Walbrook. It represents a confluence of the spiritual and the material. Editor: Right, and etching is such an interesting choice. He would have laboriously covered a metal plate, probably copper, in wax, scratched the design through it, then submerged it in acid. All that intense labor and skill for an image of commerce and faith mixing on the streets. It’s such a deliberately material and hands-on approach to immortalizing a place. The printing process also lends itself to variation, making each print unique. Curator: Indeed. The church spire piercing the sky, framed by the bustling street below, creates a sense of aspiration amidst the everyday. It’s not just the place; it’s a statement about human ambition and faith reaching upward. Editor: And the city context. The print suggests the impact of modernization on a historical city fabric, how these venerable, old religious structures were getting enveloped by commerce. What does it mean that religion here is caught amongst capitalism's gears? I bet the etching's ink formulation played a huge role, too; that warmth seems key. Curator: An important observation. And Pennell certainly wasn't alone in exploring such themes; there's a current running through a lot of early 20th-century art showing this push and pull of tradition and modernity. Editor: Overall, it strikes me as a beautifully crafted reflection on permanence and change, built out of acid and metal. I am thinking about that materiality more and more. Curator: A fantastic work for appreciating how enduring spiritual symbols continue to tower over our world despite material circumstances, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Absolutely. That’s a great perspective. The work now has taken on another level for me given this deeper consideration of it!