Mouth of the Mine, Ruhrort near Oberhausen 1910

Joseph Pennell made this print called 'Mouth of the Mine, Ruhrort near Oberhausen' using etching and drypoint techniques. The entire industrial landscape seems to have emerged from a swarm of dark, energetic lines. Imagine him bent over the plate, scratching away, the image slowly materializing from a blur of graphite and ink. Pennell seems to sympathize with the workers heading into the darkness. The artist is highlighting the relentless activity of industrial labor in a raw way. Look at the plume of smoke billowing from the chimney, rendered with such energy. It feels like he’s trying to capture not just the sight, but the smell and the feel of this place. This reminds me of other artists who have documented industrial landscapes, like the photographs by Bernd and Hilla Becher. Ultimately, artists keep responding to the world around them, engaging in a visual conversation that spans across time.