The Ferry House, Cortlandt Street Ferry from the Jersey City Side 1919

Curator: Joseph Pennell created this etching, "The Ferry House, Cortlandt Street Ferry from the Jersey City Side." Editor: The industrial architecture almost overwhelms the delicate figures, creating a sense of transient humanity dwarfed by progress. Curator: Pennell had a keen interest in the dynamism of urban life; in depicting the rapid industrialization during his lifetime, he captures both its promise and its potential to overshadow the individual. Editor: Absolutely. The skeletal framework above almost seems to mimic the bare branches of winter, suggesting themes of dormancy before renewal, journeys, thresholds, and transitions. Curator: The ferry symbolizes a connection between places and between different socio-economic strata, allowing us to consider how public spaces fostered exchange and shaped urban identities. Editor: It's a powerful image that evokes both nostalgia for a bygone era and a sense of the relentless march of time. Curator: Indeed, Pennell invites us to contemplate how our shared history is etched into the very fabric of our cities.