The Hall of Iron 1919

Joseph Pennell created this print, *The Hall of Iron*, using etching, a process that gives the image its distinctive character. A metal plate is coated with a waxy substance, then scratched into with a needle to expose the metal. The plate is then bathed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. The resulting plate, inked and pressed, captures not just an image but a feeling. The soaring architecture of a train station, teeming with figures, is rendered with a network of fine lines. Notice how the density of these lines creates depth and shadow, emphasizing the grandeur of the space and the dynamism of the crowd. Pennell’s choice of etching mirrors the industrial age he depicted. The process, like the iron and steel of the station itself, speaks to mass production and the energy of the modern era. It’s a reminder that the making of art, like the making of cities, is always rooted in material and social context.