Gleisdreieck 1921

Joseph Pennell made this drawing, Gleisdreieck, with what looks like ink on paper; you can almost hear the scratch of the pen on the page, right? Pennell's mark-making feels so immediate, so in the moment. See how the industrial forms are rendered with such delicate, almost nervous lines? It’s as though he's trying to capture not just the structure but the very energy of this bustling railway junction. The textures are incredible – from the solid, weighty girders of the bridge to the wispy suggestion of smoke billowing from the factories, it’s all rendered with such sensitivity. The cross-hatching gives it a sense of depth, but also this kind of vibrating quality. You can see the influence of Whistler in his work, and like Whistler, Pennell gives us a sense of place, but he also shows us how he sees, thinks, and feels. It’s an ongoing conversation, a dance between seeing and feeling.