The Tower Bridge 1893

Joseph Pennell created this etching, titled "The Tower Bridge," sometime during his career. Pennell, born in the United States, spent a significant amount of time living and working in London. This work reflects the rise of industrialization and urbanization, themes often found in art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Tower Bridge, a symbol of London's engineering prowess, dominates the composition, but what stands out is the manner in which Pennell has captured it as an active construction site. The scene suggests a moment of transformation, mirroring the rapidly changing social and economic structures of the time. Pennell was deeply interested in the aesthetics of industry and progress. His work prompts us to consider whose labor made such progress possible, and how urbanization altered the social fabric of cities like London. While the bridge represents advancement, the image evokes a sense of the human cost often hidden within such achievements.