Lower Broadway 1904

This print of Lower Broadway by Joseph Pennell captures a moment in time using ink on paper. It’s a busy, bustling scene. I can imagine Pennell down there in the thick of it, trying to capture the energy of New York, the buildings stretching high and the streets teeming with people and trolleys. The lines are so delicate, yet they build this incredible sense of depth. You can almost feel the crowds pushing past you! It reminds me of Whistler, how he used etching to capture the mood of a place, not just its appearance. I wonder what Pennell was thinking about as he made this? Was he marveling at the modern city, or feeling overwhelmed by it? Maybe he was somewhere in between, trying to find beauty in the chaos. It makes you realize that artists are always in conversation with each other, even across time. They inspire each other to see the world in new ways, to find meaning in the everyday.