Farringdon Street 1887

Curator: Here we have Joseph Pennell's "Farringdon Street," an etching created in 1887, now residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Immediately striking is its atmospheric perspective; the buildings seem to dissolve into the background. A sense of a London fog perhaps, or the smudgy haze of industrial life? Curator: It is likely Pennell was influenced by the writings of Walter Benjamin, writing about the modern city in an era of social and political change, which also saw the emergence of documentary photography as an attempt to truthfully represent reality. One way of thinking about this work is the attempt to give representation to the life and labour of an emerging metropolitan. Editor: Observe how he achieves that smoky effect with very economic lines; there’s an undeniable mastery of the etching technique. Note too how the architectural details diminish and blur towards the vanishing point. It directs the eye and intensifies the feeling of depth. Curator: Exactly. This period in London history was one of deep inequalities. The city’s prosperity often masked the harsh realities of working-class lives. Consider also the rise of artistic movements that took urban life as a key theme. Editor: Yet, beyond that social commentary, it is about the play of light and shadow and how it transforms the familiar into something ethereal, almost dreamlike. Curator: Certainly, Pennell uses the cityscape as a lens to explore broader themes related to modernization, class divisions, and the representation of lived experience. I also find a connection to early cinematic framing in how it captures this single scene. Editor: Yes, I am persuaded. On reflection, the composition and delicate lines almost transcend their time, capturing something universally compelling about the urban experience. Curator: And seeing it allows us a peek into the complexities of late 19th-century London.