The Theatre, Segesta 1913

Joseph Pennell made this drawing of The Theatre, Segesta, sometime before 1926, using graphite on paper. I can see the artist standing there with his sketchbook, squinting in the sun to capture the vastness of the landscape. Look at the tentative marks sketching out the architectural structures and mountain ranges. Pennell is feeling his way through this scene, erasing, adjusting, trying to find the line between representation and expression. It reminds me of Cezanne's watercolors, where you can see the ghost of previous attempts. The soft graphite captures the light and shadow, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere, and the marks build up a layered texture. You can almost feel the dust and the breeze. It’s a conversation between the artist, the landscape, and the medium. It’s like Pennell is saying, “This is how I see, this is how I feel, this is what I want to share.” And in sharing that, he invites us to see and feel along with him.