Sauerkraut Row 1881

Joseph Pennell made this etching called 'Sauerkraut Row', showing a street scene, probably in New York, sometime around the turn of the twentieth century. It captures the look and feel of an urban immigrant neighborhood. Pennell has chosen a viewpoint that emphasizes the close proximity of the buildings and how they loom over the street. He uses the etching technique to create fine detail, and we can see the textures of brickwork, signage, and street debris. The buildings are old and their infrastructure seems to be failing. The street appears busy, though its inhabitants are merely ghostly suggestions. It could be argued that Pennell, who studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, used this scene to reflect on social problems associated with immigration and urbanization. To understand the print better, we can look at maps, census data, and photographs, which document the changing face of New York at the time. It is these historical resources that help us to interpret the social meaning of the artwork.