Aegina 1913

Joseph Pennell made this print of Aegina and the process is right there on the surface. He’s not hiding anything. Look at how the marks accumulate, like layers of thought. There’s a real physicality to the lines; Pennell digs into the plate, creating this tangible world. The heavy shadows become almost sculptural, don't they? See that column on the right? It’s not just a shape; it’s a collection of lines, each one a decision, a hesitation, a correction. It's like he is building this temple bit by bit in front of us. Pennell’s work always makes me think of Whistler. Like Whistler, he’s interested in capturing a mood, a fleeting impression. But there's also something very modern about the way he embraces the process, laying bare the artifice of representation. It’s all about the conversation, the back-and-forth between the artist and the medium.