Ready to Start 1917

Joseph Pennell made this dynamic drawing with graphite on paper. What a beautiful, smudgy, and evocative picture. You can almost feel the weight of the battleship looming over the crowd. It's amazing how much Pennell achieves with so little; the drawing is economical. Just a haze of graphite brings these colossal structures to life, right down to the planes in the sky. He really captures the moment; the planes overhead speak to the technology of the time. Pennell's mark-making reminds me of Cy Twombly's work; the hand-drawn lines feel fresh and immediate. I wonder if he was thinking about Whistler? They both have a lightness of touch. I think he's inviting us to consider the sheer scale of the ship, with the smoke and steam referencing the technology and industry of the time. It’s pretty cool how these artists riff off of one another.