The Times Building 1904

Joseph Pennell made this image of The Times Building, using etching, a process of mark-making that's all about controlled accidents. The lines are so delicate, like he was trying to catch a ghost of the building. It feels unfinished, almost like a memory fading at the edges. Look closely, and you can see how the texture of the paper becomes part of the image, like the city itself is made of grit and dust. Pennell uses the acid to bite into the metal plate, but it's his hand that guides the needle. See the way he suggests the crowds with just a few quick strokes, full of movement? It is so economical! Then there’s that solid, looming tower, built up with layer upon layer of tiny lines. There's a real kinship between Pennell's work and that of Whistler, don’t you think? They both loved capturing these fleeting urban impressions. It’s like they were trying to find the beauty in the everyday chaos, or maybe showing us that even in the most solid-seeming things, there’s always a little bit of uncertainty, a little bit of magic.