Made in Germany, the Great Crane 1916

Joseph Pennell made "Made in Germany, the Great Crane" using pencil and paper. The drawing is a flurry of fine lines, creating a hazy, almost dreamlike image of industrial might. The texture is all in those marks, a combination of careful rendering and almost frantic scribbling. It feels like Pennell was trying to capture not just the crane itself, but the energy, the sheer force of its presence. Look at the way the lines thicken and darken around the base of the crane, giving it a sense of weight and stability. Then, notice how they become lighter and more fragmented as they reach towards the sky, suggesting movement and a kind of ethereal lightness. That tiny figure in the crane's basket is dwarfed by the machinery. There's a kinship here with Whistler's interest in industrial subjects, but Pennell's touch feels more raw, more immediate. Art isn't about capturing a perfect image; it's about finding a way to express the feeling, the experience, of being in the world.