Segovia c. 1903

Joseph Pennell made this lithograph called Segovia, and I love the way he’s built up the image from dark marks on paper. It’s a process of layering, of finding the image rather than defining it from the start. I'm really drawn to how Pennell uses tone to create atmosphere here. It’s all done with this soft, velvety black, and the way he contrasts the dark foreground with the pale, glowing cathedral really gives it this sense of drama and mystery. The texture feels almost like charcoal, smudged and blended in places, which softens the edges and adds to the dreamlike quality. Look at the sky and how he implies movement with these expressive marks, then compare it to the textures of the rocks below. I’m thinking of Piranesi, and his dramatic, romantic visions of architecture. There’s this shared interest in ruins, in the grandeur and decay of these monumental spaces. And just like Piranesi, Pennell reminds us that art isn’t about fixed meanings but about exploring the possibilities of seeing, thinking, and feeling.