Waterloo Bridge 1893

Curator: This etching, simply titled "Waterloo Bridge," was completed by Joseph Pennell in 1893. Pennell, an American expatriate, created numerous prints and drawings capturing the dynamism of industrializing cities, particularly London. The piece is on paper and showcases the titular bridge in impressive detail. Editor: I find this incredibly charming, almost dreamlike. The delicate lines give it a sense of transience, like it's a memory fading at the edges. There's such a stillness about it despite all the potential activity—boats, the bustling city beyond… Curator: The Thames, of course, was a major artery of the city’s commerce. Pennell was very interested in the working river. These scenes allowed him to represent modern labor. In some of his writings, Pennell criticized the aesthetic elitism of his peers. He defended subjects that depicted modern commerce and engineering feats. Editor: It feels as though the city is holding its breath. It's an interesting counterpoint to the idea of the roaring metropolis that we often associate with London in that period. More specifically, I sense some melancholy with how time continues on. Curator: Absolutely. Pennell sought to capture the atmospheric qualities of the city, often emphasizing its misty, almost dreamlike quality. Whistler was definitely an inspiration for Pennell, who favored suggestion over strict detail. Editor: He definitely gets that mood of the ordinary and strange mixing together into an otherworldly tableau, which brings me to a sense of nostalgia… the way the artist is drawing me to experience an emotional pull through familiar but faded scenery. Curator: And he clearly appreciated the political and economic dynamics, the impact of technological innovation that defined that period of change. It's a piece that embodies the layered realities of late 19th-century London. Editor: Pennell leaves a space for introspection amidst what otherwise might be seen simply as a city undergoing some economic expansion. The dreamlike aesthetic transcends its medium.