The Coal Mine 1916

Joseph Pennell made this print, The Coal Mine, using lithographic crayon. It's like he's sketching a scene that's both real and from a dream. The whole image is built up from tiny, frantic marks, almost as if he's trying to capture the fleeting energy of the industrial landscape. The smokestacks, buildings, and railroad tracks are all there, but they're dissolving into a haze of pollution and steam. Notice how the darkest marks are concentrated around the smoke plumes, giving them a real sense of weight and volume. The surface has a tactile quality to it. You can almost feel the grit and grime of the coal mine clinging to your fingertips. It reminds me of Whistler's prints of London – a similar fascination with the beauty and terror of the modern city. But Pennell's mark-making feels more urgent, more immediate, like he's trying to warn us about something. The way he uses the crayon is almost like automatic writing, letting his subconscious guide his hand. Ultimately, I think Pennell invites us to see the world through his eyes, with all its beauty, complexity, and contradictions.