From the Station to the Hotel 1919

Joseph Pennell made this etching, "From the Station to the Hotel, N.Y.," with a very specific kind of knowing, inky line. I can imagine him, maybe a little world-weary, dragging his needle across the plate, making each mark with a weary confidence. Look how he creates a sense of depth with the faintest of lines, conjuring the ghosts of buildings, or maybe they are the buildings of the future. See the crowds milling below? Pennell's mark-making feels economical, efficient, almost journalistic, like a fast sketch in a reporter’s notebook. I bet he saw himself in the tradition of Whistler or maybe even Daumier, those artists who were totally plugged into the flow of modern life. This isn't just a depiction of a place; it's an evocation of a feeling, a moment caught in time, somewhere between grit and glamour. The image is as heavy as the feeling of being lost in a big city.