Building the Great Turret 1916

Joseph Pennell made this drawing, Building the Great Turret, with crayon, I reckon. Just look at the scratchy textures and tonal variations that create such incredible depth. I can imagine Pennell standing in this vast industrial space, surrounded by the noise and activity of construction. The way he's captured the immensity of the turret and the intricate scaffolding around it, you can almost hear the clang of metal and the shouts of the workers. The composition feels like a celebration of industry. There is a common thread of experimentation and pushing the boundaries of what mark-making can achieve that connects Pennell to other masters of drawing like Whistler, maybe. But Pennell brings his own sensibility to his art, which transcends time and continues to inspire new forms of creative expression. Each artwork is part of a dialogue, a continuing conversation.