The Park, La Granga c. 1903

Joseph Pennell made this atmospheric print of The Park, La Granga, with lithographic crayon. The velvety blacks and soft grays evoke a very particular mood, don’t they? I can imagine Pennell, out in the park with his pad, quickly laying down these marks. I wonder, did he feel the sun on his back? Did the smells of grass and flowers fill his nostrils? I like to imagine him capturing a fleeting moment with such expressive marks. See how some areas are densely worked, almost scratched into the stone, while others are left light and airy? Those dark trees at the top of the image feel so heavy, almost looming, yet they give way to a softer, more open space below. It’s like he's playing with weight and lightness, drawing us into the scene. Pennell's print reminds me a bit of Whistler's tonalist landscapes and cityscapes. These artists are like visual poets, inviting us to linger and imagine the feelings and textures of a place.