Hallway at Dr. Wister's 1912

Joseph Pennell made this drawing, Hallway at Dr. Wister's, using graphite. I like to imagine him there, quickly capturing the scene with energetic marks. There’s so much linear hatching, it gives the drawing a real sense of depth, almost like you can walk right into it. You can see the hand of the artist, but also his mind, thinking how to capture the light and the way it cascades down the stairs. I'm also drawn to the contrast between the static architectural elements—the archway, the staircase—and the human elements, the way the chair in the hallway implies a figure in the drawing that is present, but also absent. How this drawing conveys the way people interact with the space. Pennell's drawings remind me of the work of Whistler, with their interest in light and shadow. Artists are always in conversation, borrowing and riffing off each other. What I love about this piece is its openness to interpretation, it could be read in so many ways.