Pittsburgh, No.3 1909

Joseph Pennell made this etching of Pittsburgh, sometime around the turn of the century. It's all about atmosphere, right? The way the light seems to struggle through the haze of industry. Looking closely, you can see how Pennell used a dense network of tiny lines to build up the image, creating these velvety dark areas. It’s almost as if he’s sketching with acid on the plate. Notice the contrast between the solid, blocky forms of the buildings and the more fluid, scribbled lines in the sky. See how he captures the grimy reality of a steel town, yet still finds a strange kind of beauty in it? That smokestack on the river, belching out who-knows-what, is almost romantic in its darkness. It reminds me of the way Whistler approached the Thames, finding poetry in the industrial landscape. Both artists suggest that even in the age of machines, there’s still room for feeling and individual expression.