Culebra Cut, Panama 1912

Editor: This is Joseph Pennell’s etching, Culebra Cut, Panama. It reminds me of Piranesi's stark architectural scenes, but instead of buildings, it’s this… gash in the earth. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's interesting you mention Piranesi! Pennell definitely plays with scale and drama. For me, it’s about the sheer audacity of human endeavor. Look at how the delicate lines capture the immensity of the project, the railroads snaking through the carved landscape. Editor: So, you see a celebration of human achievement? I was thinking more about the environmental impact. Curator: That’s a fair point! Perhaps it's both. A testament to ambition, and a stark reminder of its cost. It’s a visual poem, etched in acid and ink, leaving us to ponder what we’ve gained, and what we’ve lost.