Towers of the Bishop's Palace, Beauvais 1907

Joseph Pennell made this etching of the Bishop's Palace in Beauvais with what looks like a real lightness of touch, a kind of dancing, scribbly line that brings the building to life. It reminds you that every work of art is made one mark at a time. The surface of the print is a lesson in detail. Notice how the heavy, ornate facade of the cathedral is captured with a flurry of short, sharp lines, while the sky is left almost blank, just a whisper of tone. Look at the way Pennell varies the pressure of his etching tool to create a sense of depth and shadow. See that dark patch just above the doorway? It's like a little vortex, pulling you into the heart of the building, a tiny, powerful focal point that shows the energy of the city. Pennell's work reminds me a bit of Whistler, they shared that interest in architectural subjects and a similar delicate touch, but Pennell's got a little more grit, maybe a bit more love for the everyday. What's great about art is that it's never just one thing, it's always a conversation, a way of seeing and feeling the world that changes with every mark.