Saint Michael's Mount, No. 2 1897

Curator: Joseph Pennell, who lived from 1857 to 1926, created this evocative print, "Saint Michael's Mount, No. 2," now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My initial reaction? A brooding sense of place, a fortress clinging to the very edge of reality, rendered with such delicate yet decisive lines. Curator: Pennell's technique is fascinating here. The precise hatching and cross-hatching build up the form of the mount and the surrounding landscape. It's architectural, almost. Editor: Precisely. He uses the drypoint to create a very rigorous composition. Note how the heavy rocks in the foreground counterbalance the ethereal castle above. It's a study in contrasts, weight versus air. Curator: I feel that contrast too. There's a tension between the solidity of the earth and the almost dreamlike quality of the building, a dialogue between the earthly and the spiritual. It’s quite moving, really. Editor: Yes, and the scale! The human figure is dwarfed by the landscape, emphasizing the sublime power of nature and the insignificance of human endeavors in comparison. Curator: Looking at this, I’m reminded of the enduring allure of places steeped in history and myth. Editor: Indeed, Pennell’s "Saint Michael's Mount" offers us a unique, almost ghostly perspective, reminding us of art’s ability to capture atmosphere and meaning through seemingly simple means.