Within the Walls c. 1901

Curator: Look at this print, Joseph Pennell’s "Within the Walls," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It depicts a narrow, walled street. Editor: It feels claustrophobic, doesn't it? The heavy stone walls looming, that compressed perspective...it’s almost oppressive. Curator: Pennell's printmaking process allows for incredible detail in the stonework and the textures. Consider the labor involved, the precise etching needed to capture the play of light. Editor: And think about who lived and worked here, within these imposing structures. Were they prisoners of circumstance? Or did the walls offer protection, a sense of belonging? The architecture speaks to power dynamics, who is in and who is out. Curator: It makes you wonder about the original function of this place, its social significance. Editor: Indeed. It’s a stark reminder that our surroundings shape our experiences, whether we are conscious of it or not.