Entrance to Zocodover, Toledo c. 1903

Joseph Pennell made this drawing, Entrance to Zocodover, Toledo, with what looks like charcoal or maybe conté crayon, and it's all about how light carves out a space. The texture is key. Pennell isn't trying to hide the marks; he's building the image with them. Look at the deep blacks in the foreground and how they give way to a hazy grey as you move up to the figures on the stairs. It's almost like he's saying, "Here's the raw stuff, the medium, and here's what it can do: create atmosphere, depth, a sense of place." That one jagged edge to the arch on the left – it’s such a simple mark, but it does so much work. Pennell reminds me a bit of Whistler, in the way he’s able to conjure a scene with such economy. Like any good drawing, this one leaves room for the viewer to fill in the blanks. It's all about suggestion, embracing the beauty of the unfinished.