Mist on the Thames 1903

Joseph Pennell made "Mist on the Thames" with etching and aquatint. The whole image has this incredible misty atmosphere, like a dream slipping into reality. I can almost feel the dampness in the air. Pennell's probably out there, lugging his stuff around, trying to capture this fleeting moment. You know, when the light is just right, and the world holds its breath. I love the way he's built up these tones, layer upon layer, with darks emerging from the light, and those boats in the foreground look ghostly and unreal. I imagine he wanted to capture the sensation of being there rather than just documenting the scene. It is such a Whistler move! Artists are always building on what came before, remixing and responding. Pennell is like a jazz musician riffing on a classic tune, but in ink and paper. With this piece, there's no single right way to see it, and that's what keeps it alive.