Flatiron Building 1904

Joseph Pennell made this print of the Flatiron Building using etching, sometime in the early 20th century. It's so linear, like he's drawing with acid. Look closely, and you can see the marks of the process. The network of lines, that describe the building, are like a dance of looking and making. The marks are delicate and tentative and I see how, through the touch of the acid, the building emerges from the ground. Pennell builds up the image like constructing a building. The texture is created by the lines, a kind of visual shorthand, that leaves plenty of space for the viewer to complete the picture. This technique is reminiscent of Whistler's etchings, where the image is suggested rather than fully described, it captures a mood or a fleeting impression, prioritizing atmosphere. I love how art is in constant dialogue! It's like a game of telephone through time, isn't it?