The Hall at Cliveden 1912

Joseph Pennell made this drawing of The Hall at Cliveden in 1912, and what strikes me is how he uses the marks to convey a sense of depth. It feels like a quick sketch, really immediate, and you get this strong sense of the architecture. I’m drawn to the way the columns are rendered. Look how Pennell uses these long, vertical strokes that almost seem to melt into the floor. It’s like he's not just showing us the columns but also the light and shadow they cast. This area in particular suggests not just form, but also the atmosphere of the space. I'm reminded of Piranesi's architectural drawings, there's that same love for detail, and a sense of the epic. But where Piranesi is all about grandeur, Pennell feels more intimate, like a personal encounter with a place. I love the ambiguity, the sense of a moment captured.