Old Court, Lincoln's Inn 1905

Joseph Pennell created this print of "Old Court, Lincoln's Inn" using etching and aquatint. Pennell was an American expatriate, part of a wave of artists who found inspiration in Europe's history and architecture. Consider how Pennell, as an outsider, captures this very British scene of legal London, where for centuries, class and profession have shaped the social landscape. We see figures in period dress, perhaps lawyers or students, moving through the courtyard, their identities closely tied to this space. Pennell was deeply affected by the destruction of war. His work often reflects a sense of nostalgia for the past and a fear of its loss. The inscription notes the destruction of the Inn in 1903. Through his art, Pennell preserves a moment in time, inviting us to reflect on the passage of history and the marks it leaves on our shared spaces.