The Acropolis from the Temple of Jupiter, Athens 1913

Joseph Pennell made this drawing of the Acropolis from the Temple of Jupiter in Athens with what looks like charcoal or maybe conté crayon. What gets me is the texture, built from all these tiny, crumbly marks. It makes you realize artmaking is a process of layering, of adding and subtracting until the image emerges. Look at how the columns aren't just lines, they're these complex masses built from individual strokes, dense in some areas, lighter in others. Pennell really captures the weight and scale of these ancient ruins. It’s like he's not just drawing what he sees, but what he feels. The way he suggests the sky with these swirling, almost nervous lines reminds me of the German Expressionist woodcuts. You know, there's something timeless about this scene. It makes you think about how artists throughout history have been drawn to these same subjects, each bringing their own vision and mark-making to the conversation. Art is an ongoing exchange, a way of seeing and interpreting the world that stretches across generations.