Rouen, from Bon Secours 1907

Joseph Pennell made this etching of Rouen from Bon Secours sometime between 1881 and 1926, a flurry of lines brought together to capture a place. There’s an energy to his touch that feels so immediate, like he’s wrestling with the scene before him. Looking at the piece, you can almost feel the scratch of the needle against the plate, each line a tiny decision, a response to the world. It's mostly monochromatic, but the depth comes from the density and direction of the lines. Notice how the dense, dark strokes create the hillside on the left, while the lighter, more scattered marks define the sky. It's like he's building the image from the ground up, letting the process guide him. Think of Piranesi’s architectural prints, but more intimate and personal, a testament to the enduring allure of process and the conversation between artists across time.