Pennsylvania Railroad Station 1919

Joseph Pennell etched "Pennsylvania Railroad Station", capturing the vibrant pulse of urban life. The towers, adorned with statuary, evoke ancient temples and classical gods, symbols of power and aspiration. Notice how the tower, a modern-day ziggurat, aims skyward, echoing humanity’s age-old quest for transcendence. Similar towers appear in different times and places as votive figures reaching to the heavens, from the Tower of Babel to the skyscrapers of Manhattan, each reflecting the zeitgeist of its era. In the collective memory, the emotional power of these structures lies in their dual nature: they represent both technological progress and spiritual yearning. This etching isn't merely a depiction of a train station, it's a stage where the theater of life unfolds. It shows the cyclical nature of symbols, and that even in the heart of modernity, the past resurfaces, shaping our present and influencing the collective psyche.