Main Street, Mahanoy City 1908

Joseph Pennell made this print of Main Street, Mahanoy City, in 1908, and the way he's worked the plate is so interesting. It's all about process, the etched line doing so much of the work. Looking at this piece, you can almost smell the ink. See how the lines create texture, building up the darks and letting the light areas breathe? I love how the whole composition emerges from this network of marks. There's a looseness, an energy that comes from not trying to be too precise. Take that section right above the bridge, those dense clusters of hatching that suggest the mountain rising up in the background. It's so gestural, so alive. Pennell reminds me of Whistler in a way, both of them exploring the tonal possibilities of printmaking. But Pennell has a grittier edge, a realness that feels very American. For me, art's about having a conversation with what's come before, riffing on ideas, and pushing things in new directions.