Liberty Bell 1912

Joseph Pennell made this drawing of the Liberty Bell sometime before 1926, using what looks like graphite or charcoal on paper. You can almost see him making the marks, can’t you? The beauty of a drawing like this is in its openness. It's not trying to trick you into thinking it's real. Look at how the lines describing the bell are so loose, almost like scribbles. The lines create an airy quality, a feeling of being in a space filled with light. The texture of the paper comes through, giving it a kind of humble, honest feel. There's a dialogue between precision and looseness that makes it so alive. It reminds me a bit of Piranesi's architectural drawings, with their dramatic perspectives and intricate details, but here, it's all pared down to the essential gestures. Both artists capture the drama of space and form with just a few strokes. It's a reminder that art is always talking to art, across time, and that there's always more than one way to see.