Down and Up the Hills to the Bay, San Francisco 1912

Joseph Pennell created this etching, "Down and Up the Hills to the Bay, San Francisco" using a metal plate, likely copper or zinc, and acid. The image is made by drawing through a waxy ground, then submerging the plate in acid, which bites away the exposed lines. Pennell was part of the etching revival of the late 19th century, a time when artists embraced printmaking as a direct and expressive medium. Notice how the etched lines vary in thickness and depth, creating a rich range of tones and textures. The dense network of lines captures the steepness of the streets, the bustling activity, and the atmospheric haze of the bay. Etching requires skill and precision, but also allows for spontaneity and improvisation. It’s a process that straddles the line between craft and fine art, and one that gives us a tangible connection to the artist's hand and the industrialized world he was observing. Considering these aspects allows us to understand the work as both a beautiful image and a record of a specific time and place.