Venice at Work 1911

Joseph Pennell made "Venice at Work," using etching, and it’s like he’s sketching with acid. It’s all about the line, a sort of organized chaos. Pennell's captured the gritty side of Venice, not the usual romantic gondolas, but the docks, the machinery, the working waterfront, with a crane dominating the view. Look at how he’s rendered the sky – a swarm of tiny, nervous lines, almost vibrating. It gives you a sense of the air, the humidity, and the sheer activity of the place. The texture is built with these marks. The ink lies on the surface of the paper, creating a palpable feel. The perspective is almost dizzying, pulling you into the scene. Pennell, like Whistler, loved cityscapes and architectural subjects. They both found beauty in unexpected places. "Venice at Work" is more than just a picture; it’s a record of a moment, a feeling, a way of seeing the world. There's a real freedom to it.