The Embarkation Camp, the Classic Grove 1917

Joseph Pennell made this etching, The Embarkation Camp, the Classic Grove, with what looks like a direct, process-based approach. You can see the decisions being made right there on the plate. I am struck by the balance he finds between precision and expressive mark-making, those scratchy clouds feel so immediate and raw, almost like he’s dragging the tool through butter. Then, those elegantly drawn trees in the foreground have a completely different feel. They have been reduced to these beautiful simple lines. It makes me think about the conversation between representation and abstraction in art. Pennell is showing us something recognisable, a landscape, but he is also playing with line and form, creating something that is visually compelling in its own right. His work reminds me of Whistler, both share an interest in capturing the essence of a scene. Ultimately, art is all about this kind of exchange, isn't it?