The Shops at Night, Changing Shifts 1916

Joseph Pennell made this print, 'The Shops at Night, Changing Shifts' with what looks like lithographic crayon. You can tell he was trying to capture the mood of the scene, not just the details. I love the way he’s built the image out of all these marks, like he’s layering darkness to give a sense of depth. The scratchy lines makes me think of nightfall in a city, all these rough textures that somehow come together. He really makes the most of the black and white to capture the gritty, urban feel. Look at the crane looming over everything, like a giant spider. It's so delicately rendered, a real contrast to the inky blackness all around, but then the building beside it seems to glow from within. It reminds me a bit of Piranesi, but also something like Meryon, with that feeling of the urban sublime. It’s not about pretty pictures, it's about trying to make sense of the world through art, you know?